Behavior In Middle School Research Articles

“They’re Going Through Something, Too”: The Challenges and Opportunities of Empathy and Prosocial Behavior in Middle School

Despite the volume of research on empathy and prosocial behavior, there is a dearth of studies exploring early adolescents’ experiences of practicing cognitive empathy and prosocial behavior. Without understanding both the challenges and opportunities of these two skills, we cannot effectively support their growth during this critical developmental period. This study aims to fill this gap. Sixteen sixth-grade students from two middle schools in a small Northeastern city in the United States participated in semi-structured interviews about their experiences of practicing cognitive empathy. Three themes appeared in student responses: preparing, cognitively empathizing, and responding. Youth experienced unique challenges in each of these components, including masking, relational distance, emotional awareness and regulation, capacity, misunderstanding, and negative peer pressure. The authors suggest a three-pronged approach—focusing on skills, relationships, and the social environment—to address these challenges and bolster adolescents’ unique strengths to promote cognitive empathy and prosocial behavior in middle schools.

Advancing the science of coaching in education: An introduction to the special issue

School-based coaching has emerged as an effective approach for enhancing school personnel's knowledge, implementation skills, and wellbeing, as well as student achievement and behavior. This article introduces the special issue Advancing the Science of Coaching in Education, highlighting four large-scale, rigorous investigations on the effects of coaching and possible contextual variables that influence effective coaching in education. Two studies (Glover et al., 2022; Pianta et al., 2022) assessed how components of coaching (e.g., feedback, practice) may mediate or moderate classroom practices and/or teacher-student interactions that lead to improved student learning. One study (Pas et al., 2022) examined fidelity profiles of motivational interviewing embedded coaching on classroom practices and student behavior in middle school. The final study (Reddy et al., 2022) examined the effects of behavior support coaching on paraprofessional implementation of research-based behavior interventions, wellbeing, and elementary school student social behavior. This article spotlights common elements across studies and offers directions for research and innovation. The special issue closes with a commentary (Erchul, 2022) on the contributions of school consultation research to contemporary coaching research and offers recommendations for bridging research to practice.

Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions and Use of Classroom Management Strategies and Associations With Student Behavior

Disruptive student behavior in middle school is associated with negative outcomes, including poor grades, low achievement scores, dropout, lost teaching time, teacher burnout, and societal expenditures. Classroom Behavior Management (CBM) strategies are effective at reducing disruptive behavior, decreasing teacher stress, and increasing achievement with elementary students, but less is known regarding these strategies for middle school students. The purpose of the current study was to assess (a) the rates of disruptive and on-task student behaviors in middle school classrooms, overall and by academic context that included individual seatwork, group/partner work, small-group instruction, and whole-group instruction; (b) the rates of observed (appropriate and inappropriate commands, labeled and unlabeled praise, opportunities to respond; appropriate response to rule violations) and self-reported (appropriate commands, reprimands for inappropriate behavior, strategic ignoring, if/then contingencies, and send to principal’s office) CBM strategies; and (c) relationships between observed teacher strategy use and rates of disruptive and on-task behaviors. The results indicated that there was wide variability in teachers’ use of CBM strategies, their perceptions of the effectiveness of CBM strategies, and the frequency of disruptive student behavior. In addition, overall, teachers demonstrated low rates of appropriate responses to disruptive behavior. Notably, appropriate responses to disruptive behavior had the strongest association with total rates of disruptive and on-task behaviors. The implications of these findings for teacher training are discussed.

Mediators of Effects of Cooperative Learning on Prosocial Behavior in Middle School.

In this study, we tested the effects of cooperative learning on students' prosocial behavior. Cooperative learning is a small-group instructional technique that establishes positive interdependence among students and, unlike most current school-based programs, does not mandate a formal curriculum. Given the emphasis in cooperative learning on peer reinforcement for positive and helpful behavior during learning activities, we hypothesized that cooperative learning would promote higher levels of prosocial behavior, and that these effects would be mediated by peer relatedness. Using a sample of 1,890 students (47.1% female, 75.2% White) from a cluster randomized trial of 15 middle schools, we found that cooperative learning significantly enhanced prosocial behavior across two years. Mediation was only partial, however, suggesting that additional mechanisms were at work, such as changes to social norms or teacher behavior. Given that cooperative learning has been shown to enhance student engagement and academic achievement in prior research, we argue that cooperative learning should be a central component of teacher training and professional development.

중학생이 지각하는 체육교사의 지도유형과 수업몰입, 건강증진행동의 구조적 관계

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to verify the causal relationship among physical education teacher’s instruction type, class flow and health promotion behavior in middle school student.BR Method: The 685 middle school students in metropolitan city D, city G, city Y were selected as subjects by purposive sampling. Collected data were analyzed by SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 21.0.BR Results: The results of this study are follows. 1) There was a positive relationship among physical education teacher’s instruction type, class flow and health promotion behavior in middle school student. 2) Physical education teacher’s instruction type had a positive effect on the class flow. 3) Class flow acts on health promotion behavior with meaningful positive effect. 4) Instruction type had not significantly affect on health promotion behavior.BR Conclusion: Therefore, to enhance the quality of students’ healthy life, with an effort of P.E. teacher, it is essential to consider the characteristic and conditions of students so that class flow can be raised.

Social goals moderate the associations between peer status and behavior in middle school

AbstractThis study investigated the associations among popularity, agentic and communal social goals, and overt and relational aggression in adolescence, with a focus on social goals as moderators of the association between aggression and popularity. Three hundred eighteen sixth‐, seventh‐, and eighth‐grade students completed a sociometric assessment of overt and relational aggression, prosocial behavior, and popularity, and the Interpersonal Goals Inventory for Children (IGI‐C; Ojanen, Grönroos, & Salmivalli, Developmental Psychology, 41(5), 699–710, 2005). Endorsing agentic goals moderated the association between popularity and both overt aggression and prosocial behavior. Adolescents who were both popular and who endorsed agentic goals were particularly high in overt aggression and prosocial behavior. Communal goals also moderated the popularity‐aggression link, but in different ways depending on the type of aggression being analyzed. We also found evidence that, among adolescents who endorse both types of goals, agentic goals may overshadow communal values. Some of these interactions were further qualified by gender.

Relations between popularity and prosocial behavior in middle school and high school Chinese adolescents

The concurrent and longitudinal associations between popularity, likeability, and prosocial behavior were evaluated in this three-year study of middle school and high school Chinese adolescents. The initial sample included 766 middle school (mean age = 13.3 years) and 668 high school participants (mean age = 16.6 years); there were 880 (399 girls) middle school and 841 (450 girls) adolescents who participated in at least one year of data collection. Significant positive associations between popularity, prosociality, and academic achievement were found. Both popularity and likeability concurrently predicted significant unique variance in prosocial behavior after controlling for academic achievement; longitudinal cross-lagged analyses revealed bi-directional associations between popularity and prosocial behavior such that popularity positively predicted subsequent prosocial behavior and prosocial behavior predicted subsequent popularity. Cross-cultural research on popularity may profitably focus on variation in prosocial behavior as the relative salience of coercive and prosocial control strategies may vary across cultures.

Reciprocal relationships between abusive parenting and delinquent behavior of adolescents - Focusing on gender difference -

본 연구는 부모의 학대적 양육행동과 청소년기 비행행동간의 상호인과적 관계가 청소년의 성별에 따라 차이가 있는지에 대해 실증적으로 분석하였다. 한국청소년패널조사의 중학교 2학년 패널 1차-4차년도 조사에 참여한 청소년 2724명의 자료가 활용되었다. 자기회귀 교차지연모형 (Autoregressive cross-lagged path model)에 대한 다중집단 분석결과, 학대적 양육행동과 비행 행동간의 상호인과적 관계가 청소년의 성별에 따라 다르게 나타났다. 여아의 경우, 초기 비행행동의 증가와 이에 반응하는 부모의 학대적 양육행동의 증가가 여아의 비행행동을 더욱 증가시키는 것으로 나타났으며, 이러한 부정적 상호작용의 영향은 고등학교 시기까지 지속되었다. 반면 남아의 경우, 초기 비행행동의 증가가 학대적 양육행동의 증가를 가져오지만, 학대적 양육행동의 증가가 비행행동의 증가를 가져오지는 않았다. 본 연구의 결과는 초기 비행행동을 통제하기 위한 학대적 양육행동이 남아보다 여아의 비행행동에 더 크게 영향을 미치고 있음을 보여준다. 이러한 결과는 학대적 양육행동과 비행행동간의 상호관계를 이해하고 개입함에 있어 남아와 여아의 특성을 고려하여 접근할 필요가 있음을 시사한다.Using four waves of the Korean Youth Panel Study, this study examined whether the reciprocal relationships between abusive parenting and delinquent behavior differed by adolescent gender. A sample of 2,724 adolescents who participated in all measures across the four waves was analyzed. The findings from cross-lagged path models revealed that the reciprocal relationships between abusive parenting and delinquent behavior were different for adolescent boys and girls. For girls, the two constructs are reciprocally linked; more delinquent behavior predicted more abusive parenting, and more abusive parenting in turn predicted more delinquent behavior in middle-school. Such reciprocal influence continued in high-school years. For boys, only delinquent behavior predicted more abusive parenting in middle-school years. This study exhibited that abusive parenting as a controlling behavior of delinquent acts had stronger effect on later delinquent behavior for girls than for boys. This study highlights the importance of considering gender when developing interventions to support families with delinquent adolescents.

Classroom Norms and Individual Smoking Behavior in Middle School

To investigate whether smoking prevalence in grade-level networks influences individual smoking, suggesting that peers are important social multipliers in teen smoking. We measured gender-specific, grade-level recent and life-time smoking among urban middle-school students who participated in Project Northland Chicago in a longitudinal cohort design. Within schools, grade-level recent smoking had comparable effects on girls' and boys' individual-level smoking. Grade-level lifetime smoking had a greater effect on girls' smoking. Interventions can target middle school classes and schools broadly, without making the identification of friendship networks a concern.

Intimate Partner Violence Among Economically Disadvantaged Young Adult Women: Associations With Adolescent Risk‐Taking and Pregnancy Experiences

Intimate partner violence negatively impacts the health of substantial proportions of young women in economically disadvantaged communities, where sexual initiation, aggressive behaviors, unintended pregnancies and childbearing are common among adolescents. It is therefore important to assess how adolescent risk behaviors and pregnancy experiences are linked to such violence during young adulthood. Data from 526 participants in the Reach for Health Longitudinal Study who were surveyed during middle school (in 1995-1996 and 1996-1997) and at ages 22-25 (in 2005-2007) provided information on adolescent risk behaviors and pregnancy experiences, as well as experiences of intimate partner violence during young adulthood. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify correlates of intimate partner violence involvement. As young adults, 29% of women reported having been victims of intimate partner violence in the past 12 months; 21% reported having perpetrated such violence. In multivariate analyses, victimization and perpetration in the last year are positively associated with aggressive behavior in middle school (odds ratios, 1.9 and 2.5, respectively), lifetime number of sex partners (1.3 for both) and having a history of unintended pregnancy or pregnancy problems (1.3 for both). Perpetration also is associated with early sexual initiation (0.5) and living with a partner (1.8). It is important to consider women's pregnancy histories in programs aimed at preventing the adverse outcomes of relationship violence and in screening for partner violence in sexual and reproductive health services. Early intervention may help women develop the skills needed for resolving conflicts with peers and partners.

Unique contributions of meanings of smoking and outcome expectancies to understanding smoking initiation in middle school

Previous research has shown that meanings of smoking are highly predictive of smoking in middle school children. Three factors of meanings of smoking have been suggested in the literature: personal meanings, functional meanings, and social meanings. These conceptually derived factors of meanings of smoking have not previously been empirically studied. This study examined the factor structure of the Meanings of Smoking Index (MSI) to determine the unique contribution of meanings of smoking and positive outcome expectancies to smoking behavior in middle school children. A multiethnic sample of 2,247 eighth-grade students enrolled in 24 middle schools in greater Los Angeles completed a paper-and-pencil survey in class. Four factors of the MSI emerged (functional, personal, social image, and weight concern). Positive outcome expectancies and each of the four factors of the MSI predicted lifetime smoking in a multivariate model. Meanings of smoking were empirically distinct from positive outcome expectancies. Adolescents who endorsed personal and functional meanings were more likely to smoke. Social image and weight concern meanings were negatively related to smoking after controlling for all other meanings. Meanings of smoking may prove to be important and modifiable mediators of smoking and therefore useful in future prevention studies.

Development of a School-Wide Behavior Program In a Public Middle School: An Illustration of Deployment-Focused Intervention Development, Stage 1

School-wide behavior management systems can improve academic performance and behavior in middle schools, and they should have positive effects on students with ADHD. Unfortunately, evidence-based, school-wide behavior management systems have not been widely adopted because of problems with feasibility, acceptability, and sustainability. The Deployment-Focused Model of Intervention Development and Testing has been proposed as a promising method of bridging the gap between research and practice settings. A key aspect of the model is to involve the persons most likely to deliver the service (e.g., teachers) in the intervention development process from the very beginning. To illustrate this process, the authors describe the planning and implementation of a school-wide program designed to improve behavior in a public middle school.

Level and Change in Reading Scores and Attention Problems During Elementary School as Predictors of Problem Behavior in Middle School

This study examined heterogeneity in change in reading test scores and attention problems during middle childhood and whether heterogeneity in change in these variables predicted later problem behavior. Our sample consisted of 783 students recruited from 10 Pacific Northwest schools. For both reading scores and teacher report of attention problems, latent growth curve models of annual data from Grades 3 to 6 showed statistically significant heterogeneity in initial level and change. Level and change factors for both variables were statistically significant predictors of problem behavior in 7th grade. In a combined model that included growth factors for both reading and attention problems, only level of attention problems had a unique and statistically significant association with problem behavior.

Childhood risk and protective factors and late adolescent adjustment in inner city minority youth

This investigation examined longitudinal relationships among childhood risk and protective factors and academic, social, and mental health outcomes in late adolescence. Data were drawn from the Chicago Longitudinal Study, a research project that has tracked a cohort of 1539 impoverished inner-city youth from birth to young adulthood. An ecological model containing information on child characteristics, family processes, early childhood intervention program participation, and middle childhood indicators of competence and problems was used to predict depression, juvenile delinquency, and high school or GED completion during late adolescence or young adulthood. Multivariate negative binomial and logistic regression analyses were used to show that cumulative family risk from birth to age 12 significantly predicted increases in juvenile court petitions and decreases in high school or GED completion. Early childhood intervention in preschool had the widest ranging protective effects on all three adolescent outcomes. The probability of high school or GED completion was significantly increased by preschool intervention, by parent(s) participating in the child's early elementary school experiences, by satisfactory elementary school grades, and by the child's ability to be task oriented. Being female, participating in preschool intervention, displaying shy or anxious behavior, and having higher grades in middle school predicted lower rates of juvenile court involvement while acting out behavior in middle school increased court involvement rates. Preschool intervention, peer social skills, early classroom adjustment, and shy or anxious behavior in middle school were protective factors against adolescent depression while being female and having higher grades in early elementary school were associated with higher rates of adolescent depression. Implications for social work practice and future research were discussed.

Interpersonal Relationships, Emotional Distress, and Prosocial Behavior in Middle School

Investigated in this study was the contribution of peer acceptance, perceived support from peers, and family cohesion to prosocial behavior in young adolescents. Based on theories of peer socialization, it was hypothesized that being accepted by peers would have a direct relation to prosocial behavior. In addition, emotional distress was examined as a possible mediator between adolescents’ perceptions of family and peer relationships and prosocial outcomes. In a sample of 167 sixth-grade students, hypotheses were supported in that peer acceptance was related directly to prosocial behavior and emotional distress mediated relations between perceived support from peers and prosocial behavior. Family cohesion was related negatively to distress but not to prosocial outcomes. The roles of parents and peers in promoting young adolescents’ social competence, as well as the importance of emotional well-being for positive social adjustment in middle school are discussed.

Truancy and Dropout among Cambodian Students: Results from a Comprehensive High School

Truancy and dropout are major problems for Cambodian high school students in the United States. The project described in this article investigated student explanations of truancy and dropout and associated demographic and academic variables among a random sample of 23 Cambodian students at a comprehensive high school. Chronic truancy typically preceded dropout. Findings indicated that truancy occurred primarily as a group activity. No students reported parental support or tolerance for truant behavior. The main reasons given for truancy were boredom and wanting to socialize with friends. Earning money and taking care of a spouse and child were major considerations for dropout, but not truancy. Results suggest that students at high risk of truancy can be identified before they start high school on the basis of their behavior in middle school. The results support providing counseling and educational programming to at-risk friendship groups and hiring Cambodian staff to facilitate the school adjustment of Cambodian students.