ExTra – Experiences during the Transition out of Upper Secondary Education

The transition out of upper secondary education can be understood as a critical life event for young adults that provides both opportunities for positive development and growth, but that can also be experienced as difficult and stressful. In this project, a longitudinal study will be conducted to examine which factors are associated with a better or less successful psychosocial adaptation to this transition. To that end, data is collected via smartphone-based ambulatory assessment in young adults’ everyday lives. This data on behavior and experiences in everyday life collected over several months and years allows to examine possible changes in the processes that give rise to daily fluctuations in motivation and well-being. In addition, these intensive longitudinal data also allow to target psychometric questions: What do we measure with repeated momentary assessments in everyday life? Do these momentary assessments deviate from young adults’ expectations and retrospective evaluations? And how does everyday behavior and experience shape the development of stable self-beliefs?

• How do young adults experience the transition out of upper secondary education?
• Which factors facilitate a successful adaptation?
• How do within-person psychological processes change across this transition?

• Stony Brook University: Dr. Stacey B. Scott
• Pennsylvania State University: Dr. Joshua M. Smyth

• Leonie Mouret
• Anne Sosin