The Effects of Contextual and Personal Factors on Young Adolescents’ Social Goals

This study investigated the proposal that (a) contextual and personal factors affect the endorsement of social goals during early adolescence and (b) contextual factors and social goals may change over time. Self-reports of classroom contextual factors (i.e., promotion of performance goals, social interaction, and mutual respect) and personal factors (i.e., gender) were used to predict social goals (dominance, intimacy, and popularity goals) when students were in fifth grade and again after the transition to middle school when students were in sixth grade (N = 134; 51% boys, 49% girls). In line with hypotheses, classroom contextual factors were uniquely associated with social goals. There were gender differences in the mean levels and the nature of the relations between perceptions of the classroom context and social goals. Perceptions of social interaction decreased and perceptions of peer support increased after the transition to middle school. Students’ endorsement of dominance and popularity goals increased over time.