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<p>The transition to middle school constitutes a critical developmental period for early adolescents, often heightening their vulnerability to psychological distress. Based on life course theory and the positive youth development framework, this study investigates the developmental trajectories of hope in Chinese adolescents during the transition to middle school and their predictive role in internalizing and externalizing problems. This three-wave short-term longitudinal study followed 465 adolescents (<i>M</i><sub><i>age</i></sub> = 12.26&#xa0;years, <i>SD</i> = 0.33; 46% boys) during their first semester of middle school. Growth mixture modeling revealed four hope trajectories: <i>high-stable</i> (45.13%), <i>low-stable</i> (27.32%), <i>increasing</i> (14.49%), and <i>decreasing</i> (13.06%). Trajectory group membership significantly predicted subsequent internalizing and externalizing symptoms, indicating that distinct hope pathways may be linked to different psychological adaptation outcomes. Findings enhance understanding of differentiated adaptation processes during educational transitions and offer empirical support for targeted mental health prevention and intervention strategies.</p>

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Trajectories of Hope During Middle School Transition: Predicting Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Chinese Adolescents

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月30日

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  • Xiaoyun Chai,
  • Jing Ke,
  • Heng Liao

摘要

The transition to middle school constitutes a critical developmental period for early adolescents, often heightening their vulnerability to psychological distress. Based on life course theory and the positive youth development framework, this study investigates the developmental trajectories of hope in Chinese adolescents during the transition to middle school and their predictive role in internalizing and externalizing problems. This three-wave short-term longitudinal study followed 465 adolescents (Mage = 12.26 years, SD = 0.33; 46% boys) during their first semester of middle school. Growth mixture modeling revealed four hope trajectories: high-stable (45.13%), low-stable (27.32%), increasing (14.49%), and decreasing (13.06%). Trajectory group membership significantly predicted subsequent internalizing and externalizing symptoms, indicating that distinct hope pathways may be linked to different psychological adaptation outcomes. Findings enhance understanding of differentiated adaptation processes during educational transitions and offer empirical support for targeted mental health prevention and intervention strategies.