Middle school reform and early adolescent well-being: The good news and the bad

Earlier research provided evidence that positive interpersonal relationships and the emphasis on understanding, mastery, and challenge (the mastery goal structure) deteriorated when students moved from elementary to middle-level schools. Recommendations for reforming middle-level schools focused in particular on these two dimensions of the learning environment. Recent research suggests that structural changes have been made in many schools (dividing schools into smaller units, team teaching, and providing time for advisory programs) that have contributed to more positive interpersonal relations. Unfortunately, the emphasis on mastery goals in the learning environment continues to decline when students move to middle school. We discuss the implications of these findings for the emotional and academic well-being of young adolescents, and reflect on the special relevancy of these findings for schools serving primarily low-income and African American students.