Urban Adolescents' Transition to Junior High School and Protective Family Transactions

This study explored the role of perceived family transactions of daily hassles, social support, and involvement with family in leisure activities in a sample of racially and ethnically diverse urban adolescents living in poverty as they made the transition to junior high school. Adolescents who perceived fewer daily hassles and more involvement with their families prior to the transition to junior high school appeared less vulnerable to declines in scores of self-esteem. In addition, adolescents who perceived fewer daily hassles also appeared to have fewer declines in preparedness for class. Social support moderated the effect of daily hassles on preparation for class: Under conditions of high hassles and high support, adolescents were most vulnerable to decrements in class preparation, whereas adolescents who perceived low hassles and high support were highest in class preparation. Implications for further research and interventions are discussed.