The experience of school-transfer: Does previous relocation facilitate the transition from elementary to middle-level educational environments?

Abstract

A total of 242 5th and 6th grade students responded to measures of self esteem, anonymity, self consciousness and victimization before and after transition from 5th to 6th grade which involved a change in schools; transition from 6th to 7th grade which involved a change in schools; or, transition from 6th to 7th grade which occurred in the same middle level environment. Although transitional effects were observed for all four measures, student estimates of previous teachers and schools (construed in this study as an index of previous transition) mediated the transitional process on measures of anonymity and self consciousness only. Results indicate that prior school transition experience reduces the mediational effects associated with preceptions of anonymity (reduced anonymity) and self consciousness (increased self consciousness).