Trajectories of Life Satisfaction During Middle School: Relations to Developmental‐Ecological Microsystems and Student Functioning

The middle‐school years have been associated with declines in functioning and family, peer, and teacher relationships. Yet, trajectory analyses indicate variation in this pattern. Prior focus of trajectory studies has been primarily about problematic functioning. This study brings a positive youth development perspective to how life satisfaction trajectories relate to family, peer, and teacher relationships and functioning. Students in 25 middle schools were tracked to end of eighth grade to identify three life satisfaction trajectories: high maintainers (78%), decliners (12%), and improvers (10%). High maintainers evidence better relationships, more positive functioning, and fewer problems, with specific differences distinguishing improvers from decliners. Findings suggest the value in focusing on positive development as well as trajectories in understanding middle‐school development.