Adolescent Adjustment to the Middle School Transition: The Intersection of Divorce and Gender in Review

Mack T. Hines III Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX

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Abstract

This study investigated the differences between adolescent boys and girls from divorced families' adjustment to the middle school transition. A middle school transition survey measured the academic and social middle school transitional experiences of 196 adolescent boys and girls from divorced families. T-Test for Independent Means procedures revealed statistically significant differences between the male and female participants' adjustment to the academic transition (F = 4.36, p < .05) and social transition (F = 3.79, p < .05) to middle school. The findings showed that girls from divorced families were more adjusted to the academic and social characteristics of the middle school transition than were boys from divorced families. One particular analysis revealed that girls from divorced families were less adjusted to making friends than were boys from divorced families. Overall, this and other findings indicate that gender can affect the transitional experiences of adolescents from divorced families. They also warrant the need to develop an awareness of the possible divorce-related transitional difficulties for middle school boys and girls.

ISSN 1084-8959