Children’s perspective on fears connected to school transition and intended coping strategies

Abstract The transition from primary to secondary school comes with major changes in the lives of children. There is a shortage in-depth analyses young people’s perspectives concerning their fears and strategies address these. This qualitative study aims gain first-hand understanding children’s intended coping used during transition. Data 52 workshops were analysed, total 896 students ( M age = 10.40, SD .839) lower Austria. First, classroom setting, vignette story about child facing was developed pupils brainstorming session. followed by self-selected small group discussions, where proposed help cope these fears. A thematic analysis carried out. Major clusters distinguished between four types fears: peer victimisation, being alone, victimisation authority figures, academic failure. Three additional described for countering enacting supportive networks, personal emotion regulation, controlling behaviour. In addition connected clusters, two further themes identified: strategy outcomes consequences, i.e., experiences using specific strategies, discussion participants contradictions questionable usefulness identified outcomes. conclusion, children our reported more social as compared Children seem reasonably competent at naming identifying strategies; however, maladaptive well controversies within may indicate lack certainty competence engaging on practical level.