This study examines how self-regulation and goal pursuit develop in children transitioning from elementary to middle school. The researchers plan to survey 500 5th and 6th graders using questions adapted from self-regulation scales to understand how children set and manage goals. They will compare responses between students who have and have not yet transitioned to middle school to explore how these skills change during the transition period, and how outside factors like parenting influence development. Administrative data will also be analyzed to see how self-regulation and goal pursuit impact student outcomes as they transition to middle school.

1. Self-Regulation in Children through the Transition from
Elementary to Middle School
Sara Couch, Rick Hoyle, and Erin Davisson
Duke University
Introduction
The Transition from Elementary to Middle School:
• A three-phase model of transitions (Ruble, 1994):
(1) construction, (2) consolidation, (3) integration
• The timing (i.e. 5th or 6th grade) and age of students is
impactful in their transition to middle school (Cook, MacCoun,
Muschkin, & Vigdor, 2008)
Self-Regulation:
• Broadly defined as the management of goal pursuit
• Self-regulatory sub-processes of interest include:
• Delay of gratification (Mischel, Shoda, Rodriguez, 1989)
• Exercising restraint (Myrseth & Fishbach,2009)
• Goal pursuit
Goal Pursuit:
• Goal: future state that you wish to attain
• Three key processes involved in goal pursuit: (1) goal
setting, (2) goal monitoring, (3) self-evaluation
• Goal concept has not been well studied or assessed in
younger children, including in the transition from
elementary to middle school (Elliot & Fryer, 2008; Karoly & Ruehlman,
1995)
Research Questions
Self-Regulation:
1. How do self-regulatory skills change across the
transition from elementary to middle school?
2. How do certain aspects of the child’s home life,
parental monitoring, social life, etc. affect the
development of self-regulation?
Goal Pursuit:
1. Do children have goals or think in terms of goals?
2. Do they actively manage their goals once set?
3. How do kids prioritize and manage goals?
4. Does goal pursuit change across the transition to
middle school?
Purpose of Study:
To examine self-regulation and goal pursuit as they
unfold during early adolescence, particularly during
the transition to middle school.
Design and Procedure
• Cross-sectional
• Population: 5th and 6th graders in NC public
schools
• Over-sample by 1000 (target N = 500):
• Eligible participants and their parents
contacted
• Can choose to complete study by:
(1) Telephone interview
(2) Hard copy provided by mail
(3) Online Qualtrics survey
• Estimated 30 minute duration
• $15 compensation
Additional Measures
• 102 items adapted for children from various self-
regulatory scales, including:
• Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire,
assessing effortful control (Ellis & Rothbart, 2001)
• Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire,
assessing self-regulated learning (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia,
& McKeachie, 1991)
• Questionnaire on Self-Regulation (Novak & Clayton,
2001; Mezzich et al., 1997)
• Two-Factor Self-Control Scale (Hoyle & Davisson, 2012)
• Self-Control and Self-Management Scale (Mezo, 2009)
• Attributional Style Assessment Test (Anderson,
Horowitz, & French, 1983)
• Future Orientation Scale, assessing future
thinking (Steinberg, Graham, O’Brien, Woolard, Cauffman, & Banich
2009)
Implications
This study will provide psychological data that
when merged with existing administrative data (e.g.
student records of grades, disciplinary actions) will
contribute new insights into how developing self-
regulatory and goal pursuit processes impact
students’ outcomes during the transition to middle
school.
References
• Cook, P.J., MacCoun, R., Muschkin, C., & Vigdor, J. (2008). The
negative impacts of starting middle school in sixth grade. Journal of
Policy Analysis and Management, 27, 104-121.
• Elliot, A. J., & Fryer, J. W. (2008). The goal concept in psychology.
In J. Shah & W. Gardner (Eds.), Handbook of Motivational Science
(pp. 235-250). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
• Karoly, P., & Ruehlman, L. S. (1995). Goal cognition and its clinical
implications: Development and preliminary validation of four
motivational assessment instruments. Psychological Assessment, 2,
113-129.
• Mischel, W., Shoda, Y., & Rodriguez, M. L. (1989). Delay of
gratification in children. Science, 244, 933-938.
• Myrseth, K. O. R., & Fishbach, A. (2009). Self-control: A function of
knowing when and how to exercise restraint. Current Directions in
Psychological Science, 18, 247-252.
• Ruble, D.N. (1994). A phase model of transitions: Cognitive and
motivational consequences. In M. Zanna (Ed.), Advances in
Experimental Social Psychology, 26, 163-214.
Sample Method 5th Graders 6th Graders
Have Transitioned 125 125
Haven’t Transitioned 125 125
Key Measures
“Interview-type” questions to determine:
(1) Whether children at this stage set goals;
(2) How they manage time/responsibilities;
(3) How children prioritize and manage goals;
(4) How parental monitoring or other outside
factors affect their goal pursuit.
Sample Questions:
• How would you spend time on a free day?
• If you had $100 to spend however you
wanted, how would you spend it?
• How do you manage your schoolwork?
• Does anyone help you with homework, like
a parent or sibling?
• At school, do you worry more about
spending time with friends, or focusing on
your work? What about outside of school?
• If you were known as “the best” at one of
these, which would you choose? (list given)
Elementary School Middle School
Academic • one class/teacher
• less responsibility,
independence
• multiple teachers/subjects
• more independence
Social • same sex friends
• oldest in school
• mixed sex friends
• youngest, bullied
Physical • still childish
• more similar “stage”
across all students
• puberty begins, esp. for
girls
• “awkward stage”