School changers and school remainers: Parents' and pupils' evaluation of inclusion and adolescents' self-concept.

Changing school can be a major upheaval in the life of a teenager, involving change of the school environment, teachers and classmates, often resulting in worse academic performance. The current study compared adolescents who changed during secondary school (school changers) with adolescents who stayed at the same school (school remainers) (N = 814). School change was not related to migration background and special educational needs, but was more likely with shorter parent education and a vocational school track (Lange-Küttner, 2025a). At the beginning of the five-year longitudinal project in 2019, parents and pupils gave information about social inclusion in school and the number of friends. At the end of secondary school in 2023, adolescents' self-concept was assessed. The number of friends at the start of the project was equal in the two groups. Parents of school remainers could be worried about their performance, while parents of school changers were less critical. Both groups of parents also saw a more general mood factor as relevant. School remainers reported themselves as able, if not bored, and enjoying a secure social context in school. They had formed a self-concept where they had the freedom to choose and determine their course of action. In contrast, school changers struggled and indicated that they were not good enough. Their self-concept showed that they felt they were not in control and revealed low self-esteem. Given the necessity of labor mobility in modern economies, school change that is not transitional is an important topic that needs further research.