Trajectories of adolescents' adjustment behaviors across the transition to upper secondary education: The role of individual and environmental factors

This longitudinal study examined the developmental trajectories of 901 Finnish adolescents' (M = 15.3 at T1, SD = 0.37) adjustment behaviors (prosocial behavior and externalizing problems) across the transition to upper secondary education.The role of adolescents' temperament and relationship with parents and teachers were investigated.Four trajectories of adjustment behaviors were distinguished: moderate prosocial and high externalizing (25.8 %), high prosocial and low externalizing (64.9 %), decreasing prosocial and increasing externalizing before the transition (7.4 %), decreasing prosocial and increasing externalizing after the transition (1.9 %).Adolescents' higher negative affectivity, lower effortful control, and less close and conflicting relationship with parents and teachers are positively associated with the trajectory of moderate prosocial behavior and high externalizing problems.In contrast, high effortful control, high closeness, and low conflict are positively associated with the trajectories of high prosocial and low externalizing problems as well as decreasing prosocial and increasing externalizing after the transition. Educational relevance statementThe current study brings new knowledge regarding distinct groups of adolescents who follow different trajectories of adjustment behaviors during the transition from lower to upper secondary education.A person-oriented approach distinguished four distinct groups of adolescents in terms of their prosocial behavior and externalizing problems.Most adolescents showed no adjustment difficulties across the transition.However, three distinct groups showed some challenges: some adolescents had moderate prosocial behavior and high externalizing problems throughout the transition, some had difficulties right before it, and others right after it.The results suggest that parents and teachers may help adolescents with different temperamental characteristics to successfully face the challenges of the transition by avoiding conflict and maintaining closeness with them through warm and trustful relationship.