Student Engagement Declines across Adolescence: A Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies
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| Title: | Student Engagement Declines across Adolescence: A Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Jennifer E. Symonds (ORCID |
| Source: | Review of Education. 2026 14(1). |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 27 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Information Analyses Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Learner Engagement, Educational Trends, Adolescents, Secondary School Students, Psychological Needs, Effect Size, School Transition |
| DOI: | 10.1002/rev3.70134 |
| ISSN: | 2049-6613 |
| Abstract: | Stage-environment fit theory proposes that student engagement declines across adolescence as school environments increasingly fail to meet adolescents' developing psychological needs. Grounded in the stage-environment fit perspective, the current study used a systematic search and meta-analysis to examine the average change in student engagement in adolescence. Articles had to include longitudinal repeated measurements of student engagement in adolescence (age 10-18 years). Using eight search databases, we uncovered 1623 unique records. After a title and abstract screen, we retained 264 studies for full-text screening. The final dataset included 125 studies containing 223 repeated measurements of engagement that allowed for computation of 544 effect sizes. Across the constructs of behavioural, emotional, cognitive and academic engagement, there was a general decline in engagement across adolescence (Δ = -0.09, p < 0.001). Engagement changed most negatively in earlier adolescence (b = 0.03, p < 0.001) and for adolescents experiencing a school transition (b = -0.15, p < 0.01). Change in engagement was not impacted by study date of publication, the type of engagement measured, nor by adolescent gender. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1503918 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Stage-environment fit theory proposes that student engagement declines across adolescence as school environments increasingly fail to meet adolescents' developing psychological needs. Grounded in the stage-environment fit perspective, the current study used a systematic search and meta-analysis to examine the average change in student engagement in adolescence. Articles had to include longitudinal repeated measurements of student engagement in adolescence (age 10-18 years). Using eight search databases, we uncovered 1623 unique records. After a title and abstract screen, we retained 264 studies for full-text screening. The final dataset included 125 studies containing 223 repeated measurements of engagement that allowed for computation of 544 effect sizes. Across the constructs of behavioural, emotional, cognitive and academic engagement, there was a general decline in engagement across adolescence (Δ = -0.09, p < 0.001). Engagement changed most negatively in earlier adolescence (b = 0.03, p < 0.001) and for adolescents experiencing a school transition (b = -0.15, p < 0.01). Change in engagement was not impacted by study date of publication, the type of engagement measured, nor by adolescent gender. |
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| ISSN: | 2049-6613 |
| DOI: | 10.1002/rev3.70134 |
