THE MIDDLE TO HIGH SCHOOL TRANSITION

The Middle School to High School Transition and the Stressors Involved
Kerri McDaniel
University of Georgia
April 4, 2016

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Abstract
This paper explores the middle to high school transition and common stressors that adolescents
face during this period. Academic performance, extracurricular activities, and social pressure are
discussed as areas adolescents struggle in. Present research suggests that academic performance,
is a top concern for most adolescents. Participating extracurricular activities are also an
increasing pressure students are faced with because of their need to feel connected to their peers.
The transition similarly creates a new peer and larger peer group for students to interact in.
However, in some cases, not conforming to common peer ideologies can cause the prevalence of
bullying. There is evidence to suggest that family, friends, and teachers are resources that can
help make this transition easier.

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Introduction
Adolescents must learn to adapt to new and changing environments. The middle school to
high school transition is one of these times. Not only are these adolescents going through
developmental changes (physical, cognitive, and emotional), but they are going through
fundamental changes within the school system as well. This paper is aimed to discuss the
academic, social, and extracurricular stresses that occur with the transition into high school and
the possible ways to make this transition easier.
Academic Performance
The transition into high school requires adolescents to take on and manage greater
academic expectations. According to an NPR poll conducted with the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation at the Harvard School of Public Health, nearly 40% of parents say their high schooler
experiences a great deal of stress from school.
The transition from middle to high school brings about changes in these adolescents
learning environment. In a study done by Connor, Pope and Galloway (2009), over 70% of
students claimed that they often or always feel stressed by their schoolwork. 56% stated they
worried about grades, tests, and getting accepted into college. Evidence suggests tests are a
significant source of anxiety for middle and high school students. Because of the increase in
pressure for students to excel in their academics, test anxiety has become prevalent among many
adolescents. Test anxiety is the physical and mental stress that occurs during and after
examinations which has been shown to lower performance. Students who have test anxiety
become more concerned with failing the test and the physical symptoms they are feeling rather
than focusing on completing it. The examination process for these students then becomes
unbearable, which in turn, lowers their self-esteem and motivation. Students who fail tests

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regularly, regardless of putting in effort, commonly feel shame, stupidity, and incompetence
(Rothman, 2004).
Not only are the stresses from making good grades affecting these adolescents mentally,
but they are affecting them physically as well. In the Connor, Pope, and Galloway (2009) study,
they examined the negative effects academic stress has on adolescents. They found that on
average, students stated getting only 6.8 hours of sleep each weeknight and 34.6 percent reported
six or less hours of sleep each night. Two-thirds indicated that homework often or always keep
them from sleeping. 54% percent reported difficulty sleeping, 56% reported a result of academic
stress was experiencing exhaustion, and many students stated not getting enough sleep as a
stressor itself. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adolescents need about 8-10 hours of
sleep a night to function best.
Extracurricular Activities
Some of these adolescents not only face the increasing pressure to perform academically,
but in extracurricular activities as well. These activities can include sports, fine arts, academic
clubs, and volunteering which occur at a regular time every week. In transition from middle to
high school, participating in these activities becomes increasingly important as adolescents are
exploring their interests and striving to make friends and fit in. In a study of 7th through 12th
grade students, Brown and Evans (2002) found that adolescents who participated in activities felt
more connected to school. Seemingly belonging at school was one of the main aspects of
connectedness these students mentioned. While there are positive outcomes that occur with
extracurricular activities, some adolescents experience an extracurricular overload which can
have damaging effects. These adolescents have only 50% of their day as free time to do as the
please and the other 70% is spent with classes, homework, and extracurricular activities

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(Barhyte, 2005). A study conducted by Luthar and Shoum (2006) found that the total time spent
for all extracurricular activities during the week was on average 7.5 hours a week for girls and
7.9 hours for boys. This leaves children exhausted with no free time of their own.
Social Pressures
High school requires adolescents to interact with a new peers and at a larger scale than in
middle school. Adolescents at this age spend more time with their friends than with their parents
and siblings. Adolescents are constantly growing physically, cognitively, and emotionally. In
fact, it is adolescence that is considered to be the most emotionally vulnerable time in ones life.
In this period, peer group and friends become increasingly important. Having a friends is seen an
important social achievement and marker of social skills.
Most adolescents position themselves in cliques, but also see themselves as a part of
crowd. A clique is a small group of at least three adolescents whose primary friendships are with
each other (Hamm, 2014). A crowd however is seen on a larger scale; share academic and social
time and space with others in the school environment. These social systems reward adolescents
for showing desired behaviors and punish, socially, those whose behaviors oppose the system
(Rubin, Bukowski, & Parker, 2006). Not conforming to these desired social behaviors can lead
some adolescents to be bullied by their peers. Bullying is regarded as repeated aggressive
behavior with the intention to harm another while creating an imbalance of power between the
bullies and their victims, making it difficult for the victims to defend themselves (Alavi, 2015).
Bullying can consist of physical, verbal, emotional, and even cyber abuse. According to the
National Center for Educational Statistics, in 2015, one out of every four students report being
bullied during the school year and 14.8% report being bullied online.
Making the Transition Easier

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As discussed, the transition from middle to high school can be difficult period in
adolescence that can bring a number of stressors. Some areas to focus on in helping ease this
transition include: social support, changes within the school system, and stress management.
Parents, friends and teachers are all sources of social support for these adolescents.
Therefore, it is important that these groups acts as resources. In a study conducted by the
American School Counselor Association (2004), middle school students recommended once they
have moved to the new school, people in the new school should be welcoming and encouraging.
Other suggestions included: having opportunities to talk about the transition, tours, and teachers
should go easy at first.
After the study conducted by Connor, Pope, and Galloway (2009), the participating
schools decided to make some changes within their system to help ease this transition. Some
changes that the schools found helpful were: changes to the school schedule, staff training, and
changing exams. After revisions, students stated they were experiencing less stress overall.
The next best measure in helping the transition is stress management. A longitudinal
experimental research study conducted by Hampel, Mejer, and Kummel (2008) aimed to reduce
the stress of adolescence with a training program for early and middle adolescence. The program
intervention studied perceived stress, coping skills, and self-efficacy. The students and parents
were both given workbooks to help manage stress. All levels of intervention increased with the
study especially in emotion focused strategies and minimizing distractions. Most schools do not
teach stress management and it is an increasing important skill for both students and teachers to
learn.

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Conclusion
In summary, the transition from middle to high school can be a rough period for students
that can accompany many stressors including: academic performance, extracurricular activities,
and social pressures. While there are limitations to some of these studies and school is not the
only source of stress, there is clear evidence that these are common stressors for many
adolescents during this time. However, family friends, and teachers provide as great resources to
help eliminate stress. Moving forward it is important that parents and educators work together to
create a smooth and successful transition for these adolescents.

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