Family Stress and School Adjustment:
Predictors Across the School Years

Roz Murray-Harvey
Phillip Slee
1998

The results presented here are findings from one of our studies into stress in children and their families.

Aims

• examine the relationship between background factors and school adjustment
• identify links between child and family stress and school adjustment

The 207 Australian families in the study were randomly selected from 13 participating schools. The interview data yielded demographic information along with details regarding stressful life events and psychological well-being for both adults and children. The teachers of the children completed a range of questions relating to the children's adjustment to school. Children were interviewed regarding stressful life events, attitude to school and coping with stress.

Summary Results of the Study

A focus of the study concerned teachers' perceptions of children's adjustment to school. Teachers regard approximately 70 per cent of students as adjusted/very well adjusted while approximately 5% are rated as poorly/very poorly adjusted.

Predictors of poor adjustment at the Primary school level were:

• More difficult temperament of the child
• More stressful life events (reported by child)
• Sex of the child (male)

Predictors of poor adjustment at the Secondary school level were:

• Dysfunctional family environment
• More stressful life events (reported by adolescent)
• Fewer coping strategies of the adolescent
• Higher level of family stress
• Adolescent less able to cope with stress (parent rating)

You can find the full version of this paper in:
Murray-Harvey, R. & Slee, P. T. (1998). Family stress and school adjustment: Predictors across the school years. Early Child Development and Care, 145, 133-149.