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Replicating a Middle-School Belonging Intervention: Evidence from a Randomized Trial within a New School District

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Title: Replicating a Middle-School Belonging Intervention: Evidence from a Randomized Trial within a New School District
Language: English
Authors: Geoffrey D. Borman (ORCID 0000-0002-7039-8208), Trisha H. Borman (ORCID 0000-0003-4176-4202), So Jung Park, Bo Zhu
Source: AERA Open. 2025 11(1).
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 22
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Contract Number: R305A160060
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Elementary Education
Grade 6
Intermediate Grades
Descriptors: Middle School Students, Student Adjustment, School Transition, Student Promotion, Intervention, Sense of Belonging, Replication (Evaluation), Grade 6, Student Behavior, Grade Point Average, Race, Discipline, Attendance, Social Influences
Geographic Terms: Texas
ISSN: 2332-8584
Abstract: Recent randomized studies suggest brief social-psychological interventions can help students reappraise common social and academic worries during the difficult transition to middle school and, in turn, improve school performance. We conducted a preregistered student-level randomized controlled trial to assess the replicability of these findings for sixth-grade students transitioning to middle school in three Texas schools (n = 604). Hypothesized main effects for the preregistered confirmatory academic and behavioral outcomes did not replicate. However, exploratory analyses revealed that treatment students with greater numbers of disciplinary referrals during the transition to middle school experienced larger reductions in referrals after intervention than those with fewer baseline referrals. Also, students of color showed greater improvements in their grade point averages after intervention than their white and Asian peers. Non-replicated main effects may be explained by an unusual district context and by evidence suggesting that the intervention mitigated students' academic worries but did not resolve social worries.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: https://doi.org/10.3886/E236182V1
IES Funded: Yes
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1494923
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Replicating a Middle-School Belonging Intervention: Evidence from a Randomized Trial within a New School District
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Geoffrey+D%2E+Borman%22">Geoffrey D. Borman</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7039-8208">0000-0002-7039-8208</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Trisha+H%2E+Borman%22">Trisha H. Borman</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4176-4202">0000-0003-4176-4202</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22So+Jung+Park%22">So Jung Park</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bo+Zhu%22">Bo Zhu</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22AERA+Open%22"><i>AERA Open</i></searchLink>. 2025 11(1).
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 22
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Intermediate+Grades%22">Intermediate Grades</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Students%22">Middle School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Adjustment%22">Student Adjustment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Transition%22">School Transition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Promotion%22">Student Promotion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intervention%22">Intervention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sense+of+Belonging%22">Sense of Belonging</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Replication+%28Evaluation%29%22">Replication (Evaluation)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Behavior%22">Student Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+Point+Average%22">Grade Point Average</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Race%22">Race</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Discipline%22">Discipline</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attendance%22">Attendance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Influences%22">Social Influences</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Texas%22">Texas</searchLink>
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  Data: 2332-8584
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Recent randomized studies suggest brief social-psychological interventions can help students reappraise common social and academic worries during the difficult transition to middle school and, in turn, improve school performance. We conducted a preregistered student-level randomized controlled trial to assess the replicability of these findings for sixth-grade students transitioning to middle school in three Texas schools (n = 604). Hypothesized main effects for the preregistered confirmatory academic and behavioral outcomes did not replicate. However, exploratory analyses revealed that treatment students with greater numbers of disciplinary referrals during the transition to middle school experienced larger reductions in referrals after intervention than those with fewer baseline referrals. Also, students of color showed greater improvements in their grade point averages after intervention than their white and Asian peers. Non-replicated main effects may be explained by an unusual district context and by evidence suggesting that the intervention mitigated students' academic worries but did not resolve social worries.
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: https://doi.org/10.3886/E236182V1
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  Data: Yes
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1494923
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 22
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Middle School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Adjustment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Transition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Promotion
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intervention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sense of Belonging
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Replication (Evaluation)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 6
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade Point Average
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Race
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Discipline
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attendance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Influences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Texas
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Replicating a Middle-School Belonging Intervention: Evidence from a Randomized Trial within a New School District
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              Y: 2025
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