Psychosocial Development and Student Engagement in School: A Study with Girls and Boys in Early and Late Adolescence

Abstract

Research on psychosocial development and its relation with school is key for adolescent students’ well-being. This study aims to complement existing research by understanding how adolescents‘ psychosocial development and student engagement in school differ according to age and gender. Participants were 708 students in early and late adolescence, including girls and boys. The study used a short version of Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages Inventory and the Student Engagement in School Four-Dimensional Scale. Results showed a significant decline from early to late adolescence for psychosocial trust and identity and all dimensions of student engagement in school. They also stressed the differences between girls and boys, which persisted from early to late adolescence. The results underlined that schools’ difficulty in addressing gender stereotypes and student engagement decreased. These findings challenge schools to go beyond academics and offer specific directions for enhancing adolescents’ psychosocial development and engagement in school.