This cross-lagged longitudinal study examines the evocative impact of a child's psychological adjustment on teachers' affective response and instructional support for a child, and the influence this support and response has on the child's subsequent adjustment. A hundred and seventeen Finnish teachers self-rated the instructional support they…

This study investigated the extent to which autonomous motivation, effort and progress relating to current educational goals predict success in dealing with the challenging transition to university. Our study included two measurement points: (1) before the entrance examination, at which point participants (n = 280) documented ratings of their…

This study investigated whether the members of adolescents' peer groups are similar in terms of their school adjustment and whether this homogeneity varies according to peer group type and gender. A total of 1262 peer group members who had recently moved to post-comprehensive education filled in questionnaires measuring their academic achievement,…

This study set out to identify the kinds of achievement orientations that adolescents show, and to examine the kinds of antecedents and consequences the use of a particular orientation has. The participants were 734 Swedish adolescents (335 boys and 399 girls) who filled in questionnaires measuring their achievement beliefs and behaviors,…

This longitudinal study investigated prospective links between social isolation and adjustment problems among 166 (77 girls, 89 boys) Finnish children ages 7 to 9. Peer nominations for social engagement and self-reports of internalizing and externalizing problems were collected in the spring of the 1st and 2nd grade. Friendship moderated…

The present study investigated to what extent the members of adolescents' peer groups share similar educational expectations, and to what extent overall and school-related adjustment are associated with these expectations. Three hundred and ninety-four ninth-graders facing the transition to secondary education filled in questionnaires measuring…

Investigated the relationships between achievement strategies used in school by 1,185 adolescents and their self-esteem, school adjustment, and internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. Results from several measures and parents' assessments suggest that the achievement strategies adolescents use are reflected not only in school adjustment…

Explores the kinds of strategies adolescents deploy in achievement context in an unselected sample of Swedish adolescents. Six groups of adolescents were identified according to the strategies they deployed. Results showed that membership in the functional strategy groups, such as in mastery-oriented and defensive pessimist groups, was associated…

Surveyed junior and senior high students. Found that adolescents' identity exploration and commitment reflect institutional transitions: those facing transition to senior high exhibited more exploration and commitment related to future education and occupation than younger students. Concerns with a future family increased with age and were…