The transition from primary school to secondary school can feel especially daunting, as students at this age are already going through many physical and psychological changes. Other research suggests that this stress is magnified when joining a new school because of the increased work requirement; new, multiple teacher-student relationships and having to navigate larger buildings.

Several studies have found that the stress of starting secondary school often leads to an initial reduction in grades, decline in self-esteem and negative attitude towards teachers. One study suggested a potential route to navigating these challenges. Researchers from Columbia University and Stanford University tracked teenagers over two years and found evidence to suggest that a student’s mindset affected how well they managed these transitions. They found that those with a growth mindset (#5, #68) were more likely to get higher grades, take on learning goals, value effort and adopt positive coping strategies and were less likely to feel helpless than students with a fixed mindset.

Transitions from one stage of education to another have also been studied in older students moving from secondary school to university. One recent study found that key to managing this change was keeping a sense of perspective, maintaining good physical health, and creating/maintaining support networks.