Adolescents' effort in vocational education and training and upper secondary general education: Analyses of stability, determinants, and group differences

• Published in: Journal of adolescence (London, England.) Vol. 96; no. 4; pp. 720 - 731
• Main Authors: Neuenschwander, Markus P., Ramseier, Lukas, Hofmann, Jan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.06.2024
• Subjects: Adolescents; adolescent–teacher relationship; Companies; General Education; Learning; motivation; person–environment fit; Secondary education; Structural equation modeling; Structural Equation Models; Structural models; Teenagers; Training; transition; Vocational education; vocational education and training; Vocational schools; person-environment fit; general education; adolescent-teacher relationship; transition; motivation; vocational education and training
• ISSN: 0140-1971; 1095-9254
• DOI: 10.1002/jad.12293

Introduction The effort adolescents make determines the risk for dropping out of vocational education and training (VET) early and their chances of graduating upper secondary education. Studies have shown that adolescents' efforts decrease during the transition to upper secondary general education and increases for the transition to VET. In this study, we examined adolescent self‐efficacy in lower secondary education, adolescent‐instructor relationship (AIR) in VET and general education, and perceived person–environment fit (PEF) as predictors of adolescent effort. Method We calculated two longitudinal multigroup structural equation models. Group 1 comprised 1266 (mean age in T1 = 15.7 years; female: 44%) lower secondary education graduates who moved on to VET with two learning contexts, company and vocational school in Switzerland. Group 2 included 517 (mean age in T1 = 15.7 years; female: 44%) lower secondary education graduates who moved on to upper secondary general education and thus stayed in a school. Adolescents' survey data was collected in 2016 and 2017. Results Self‐efficacy in lower secondary education and AIR in upper secondary education indirectly predicted effort in upper secondary education via PEF, controlling for effort in lower secondary education. Findings were similar for general education and vocational school. However, the effects differed between company and general education (moderation). The positive effect of AIR on PEF was statistically significantly weaker for adolescents in general education than for adolescents in VET and their company learning context. Conclusion We discuss strategies to enhance adolescents' efforts in upper secondary education. Self‐efficacy in lower secondary education and adolescent‐instructor‐relationship in upper secondary education indirectly predicted effort in upper secondary education via person‐environment fit. The positive effect of adolescent–instructor relationship on person–environment fit was weaker for adolescents in general education than for adolescents in vocational education and training and their company learning context. Findings allow us to develop a strategy to increase adolescents' motivation in secondary education.