Self-Efficacy beliefs in self-regulated learning have been considered one of the most important non intellective factors sustaining students' motivation and persistence. SE-SRL reflects perceived capacities in self-monitoring, in using cognitive and metacognitive guides, in setting goals and using self-motivational strategies for learning. Middle school years may be a critical period for adolescents¿ self-regulatory capabilities in learning activities, because they may be taxed by the increased autonomy that adolescents have. At now, research on the predictors of SESRL is limited, and knowledge on the role of peer relations in sustaining students¿ self-efficacy beliefs is scarce.
The present study is aimed to examine the predictive role of peer social acceptance and prosocial behavior (as perceived by peers) on SESRL during the early years of middle school. We aim to disentangle the unique role of early adolescents¿ peer social acceptance and prosocial behavior (as reported by peers at 6th grade) in predicting SESRL one year later ( at 7th grade), after controlling for academic grades , socio-structural variables SES and gender, and some personality traits (agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness).
About 350 adolescents will be enrolled. Data will be collected at 6th grade and one year later, at 7th grade, at school from students (self-report) and from peers)
In our study we will try to clarify the role of distinct facet of peer relations in contributing to students¿perceived capabilities in academic domain. We will also test if social acceptance will mediate the relation between prosocial behavior and self-efficacy beliefs. The present proposal is relevant, because it is important to identify malleable factors that sustain academic success. Findings obtained from the present proposal could have useful practical implications, given the existence of evidence-based school interventions aimed to promote positive peer relations and prosocial behavior.
The present research address some relevant questions for researchers and educators. A consistent effort has been often devoted to sustain academic grades of less accepted, rejected or, excluded students (e.g., Buhs, Ladd, & Herald-Brown, 2010). Our research adopt a different perspective, focusing on a positive view of youth development. The main research questions are directly related to one important issue: How peer relations may be an important resource to promote youths'adaptation ad school success.
In the last 20 years, Positive Youth Development (PYD) perspective has emphasized the strength and the plasticity of adolescents 'development (Damon, 2004; Lerner, Phelps, Forman, & Boers, 2009), and focused on understanding developmental factors that sustain adolescents' personal and social well-being. In our research, we try to adopt a fine grain view of potentials that may be strengthened to improve students'success.
Research have often explored the relation between school interpersonal factors (i.e, support or positive relations) and school grades, and not with specific motivational factors (as showed in metanalysis conducted by Wentzel and colleagues, 2020). At the same time. studies that have addressed students motivational factors (such as goal orientation and effort; Wentzel, 2017) have investigated their associatoin especially with teachers support and relations (Wentzel at al., 2017). Among motivational constructs, academic self-efficacy beliefs have been mainly neglected in this previous research.
Some studies have examined the role of emotional support from peers and teachers , and expectations of prosocial behavior in sustaining self efficacy beliefs (Fan, 2011; Wang & Eccles, 2013). However, some researches have measured self-efficacy beliefs as expectancy, a construct that corresponds only partially to self-efficacy beliefs, as conceptualized by Bandura (1997), and is less strictly related to self-regulation processes.
For those reasons, our study could be a step forward in the general state of research. It combines , simultaneously, strong and reliable measures of regulatory self-efficacy beliefs in academic domain , different measures of peer social relations (acceptance and prosocial reputation), within a longitudinal design (albeit a two years design).
Our study will contribute to clarify the complex interplay between students perception of classmates' prosocial behavior, social acceptance and self-regulatory self-efficacy beliefs in te transtion of middle school . Findings will clarify the extent to which being perceived prosocial contributes to stronger self-efficacy beliefs directly, or ,indirectly, entirely via the beneficial effects on social acceptance. At now, there are very mixed findings that connect prosociality, peer acceptance and self efficacy beliefs,
Finally, our findings may be relevant for another reason. In the transition to secondary school ,in Italy , the interest of teachers for students' social relations decrease, compared with primary school. Our findings could contribute to a reflection concerning the opportunity of sustaining prosocial behaviors and positive social relations, as a way to improve students' capacities to use best all their potentials to success at school