A1 Journal article (refereed)
The role of psychological inflexibility in adolescent satisfaction with the educational track and school dropout intentions (2022)

Liinamaa, S., Taulavuori, M.-S., Lappalainen, P., Puolakanaho, A., Lappalainen, R., & Kiuru, N. (2022). The role of psychological inflexibility in adolescent satisfaction with the educational track and school dropout intentions. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 24, 141-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2022.05.003

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Liinamaa, Sara; Taulavuori, Mira-Sofia; Lappalainen, Päivi; Puolakanaho, Anne; Lappalainen, Raimo; Kiuru, Noona

Journal or series: Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science

ISSN: 2212-1447

eISSN: 2212-1455

Publication year: 2022

Publication date: 06/05/2022

Volume: 24

Pages range: 141-148

Publisher: Elsevier

Publication country: Netherlands

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2022.05.003

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/81194

Abstract

This study aimed to obtain novel understanding of the associations between psychological inflexibility and adolescents' engagement with upper secondary studies. The participants were 885 Finnish adolescents (mean age 15.74 at the outset) whose psychological inflexibility was measured with the short form of the Acceptance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth (AFQ-Y8) in the fall of the final (ninth) grade of basic education. School engagement was measured as satisfaction with the educational track and as school dropout intentions, and they were measured twice in the first study year after the transition to upper secondary education. The results showed that high psychological inflexibility in the ninth grade was associated with lower levels of school satisfaction and higher levels of dropout intentions at the beginning of upper secondary education. Furthermore, high psychological inflexibility predicted increased dropout intentions during the first year of upper secondary studies for adolescents in upper secondary general education (i.e., academic track), but not for students in upper secondary vocational education (i.e., vocational track). Generally, dropout intentions increased during the first study year for students on academic as well as vocational tracks, whereas satisfaction with the educational track decreased only among students in the vocational track. Overall, our results suggest that psychological inflexibility plays an important role in adolescents' engagement with upper secondary studies. The results imply that by practicing psychological flexibility skills it may also be possible to promote adolescents’ school engagement.

Keywords: young people; upper comprehensive school; general upper secondary school; vocational education and training; school satisfaction; school drop-outs; psychological factors

Free keywords: Psychological inflexibility; School engagement; Upper secondary education; School dropout

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Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2022

Preliminary JUFO rating: 1