Students’ Interpersonal Relationship during the Adaptation in a New Gymnasium Class

The study described in this article analyses the interpersonal relationships between the classmates in their first grade of gymnasium, as well as the factors influencing on these relations. Empirical study has confirmed the interpersonal relationships between the fist-grade gymnasium students to play an important role in their adjustment to the school community. The aim of the study: to determine the factors regulating the interpersonal relationships between the fist-grade gymnasium students during their adjustment in the school community. The object of the study: the interpersonal relationships between the fist-grade gymnasium students during their adjustment in the school community. Organisation and ethics of the study Both qualitative and quantitative surveys were carried out following the research ethics. The concept of the study was presented to the administration, teachers and students of the gymnasium involved in the study. Every participant received the explanation of the goals of the study, was guaranteed the anonymity and was ensured a free personal choice for participation. The research was conducted only on the approval of the administration of gymnasium and the student’s parents. The timing of surveys was adapted to the respondents’ comfort. The total of 482 first-grade gymnasium pupils and 377 teachers participated in the quantitative survey. Area covered by this research included the gymnasiums of Vilnius, Kaunas, Šiauliai, Klaipėda, Tauragė, Telšiai and Utena districts and Elektrėnai, Klaipėda, Mažeikiai, Panevėžys, Utena, Vilnius, Tauragė towns. 51 of the participant students coming from the Vilnius and Klaipėda city gymnasiums were also involved in the qualitative research. The survey was carried out by a researcher passively participating in the class meeting. The methods used Study of the scientific publications, questionnaire-based surveys, semi-structured essays. Data of the quantitative surveys was processed with SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) 17.0 Windows software. For the statistical analysis we used the methods of descriptive statistics, the criteria of Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis, Spearman’s correlation and factor analysis. Statistical significance of the trait differences was evaluated by Pearsons Chi-Square (c2) test and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Analysis of data of the qualitative assay was based on the strategy by I. E. Seidman, inductive reasoning, content analysis and constant comparative method.