Stopping the Middle School Slump: Self-Regulation is Key
Martins, J., Rosário, P., Cunha, J., Núñez, J. C., Vallejo, G., & Moreira, T. (2024). How to help students in their transition to middle school? Effectiveness of a school-based group mentoring program promoting students’ engagement, self-regulation, and goal setting. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 76, 102230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2023.102230
Introduction
School transitions can trigger declines in school engagement and raise demands for self-regulated learning (SRL). Martins and colleagues (2024) tested whether Compass, a school-based group mentoring program using narrative “story-tools” plus SAFE skills training (sequenced, active, focused, explicit) could bolster fifth graders’ SRL, goal setting (GS), and behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement during Portugal’s first major school transition.
Methods
In a quasi-experimental, repeated-measures design, 330 fifth graders from four schools were assigned by school to mentoring (n = 162) or business-as-usual control (n = 168). Teacher-mentors delivered 12 biweekly 45-minute sessions embedded in class time. Students completed self-report measures at baseline (T0), mid-program (T1), posttest (T2), and 3-month follow-up (T3). Analyses used multivariate mixed-effects models controlling age/gender and testing moderation by prior math knowledge.
Results
Martins and colleagues (2024) found that mentored students improved more across outcomes by mid-program (T1; d = 0.44) and especially posttest (T2; d = 0.79). The strongest, most sustained gains were in self-regulated learning and emotional engagement (still present at follow-up, T3). Goal setting and cognitive engagement rose during the program but faded by T3, while behavioral engagement changed little. Effects did not differ by prior math knowledge.
Discussion
Findings support group mentoring as a preventive transition support, especially for intertwined SRL–engagement processes. Fade-out after summer suggests maintenance supports and better out-of-school transfer may be needed.
Implications for mentoring programs
School-based group mentoring can improve students’ self-regulation and emotional connection to school during transition years. Programs should use a consistent, skills-focused session structure with active practice (planning, monitoring, and adjusting strategies), not discussion alone. Because some gains may fade after the program ends, add booster sessions around long breaks and brief in-class reminders. Finally, promote transfer by giving teachers and caregivers light-touch tools (weekly goal check-ins, shared strategy language, short take-home prompts) so students practice skills beyond mentoring sessions.
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