A UK-wide expert panel (n=30) conceptualised transitions-context emotional wellbeing as affective state, tangible signs of adjustment, and mechanisms to maintain a stable affective state¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · theoretical r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Experts described good emotional wellbeing during transitions as emotional stability and a balanced range of emotions distinct from mental health complaints. → Bagnall 2025 q2 i? Experts also cited tangible signs of adjustment (settling time, social/academic adaptation, optimism, confidence) and mechanisms to maintain a stable affective state. → Bagnall 2025 (2)

Evidence¶

Bagnall 2025¶

Bagnall, C. L., Jindal-Snape, D., Banwell, E., Panayiotou, M., Mason, C., & Qualter, P. (2025). Emotional Wellbeing in the Context of Primary-Secondary School Transitions: A Concept Analysis Paper. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-025-09990-6

q2 · i? · theoretical · r3

Thematic Framework Analysis of an open-ended online survey with a multi-disciplinary expert panel of 30 UK educational practitioners and researchers. Experts framed transitions-context emotional wellbeing as an affective state, quoting "Stability of wellbeing across the transition".

"Children described as having good emotional wellbeing were discussed as being emotionally stable during this time: "Stability of wellbeing across the transition" (Researcher [transitions], P21), and able to feel a broad range of balanced emotions, which are distinct from mental health complaints"

Bagnall 2025 (2)¶

Bagnall, C. L., Jindal-Snape, D., Banwell, E., Panayiotou, M., Mason, C., & Qualter, P. (2025). Emotional Wellbeing in the Context of Primary-Secondary School Transitions: A Concept Analysis Paper. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-025-09990-6

q2 · i? · theoretical · r3

Same expert survey analysis. Mechanisms included recognising that mixed emotions are normal, resilience and coping skills, expectation management, personal experience, and social support; transition provision was described as scaffolding these.

"Finally, conceptualisations of emotional wellbeing in the context of primary-secondary school transitions also included discussion of mechanisms to maintain a stable affective state"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Children (59 across 10 focus groups) conceptualise transitions-context emotional wellbeing around adapting to the unknown, fitting in, and signs of positive wellbeing — related
• In the 60-article review of quantitative transitions studies, 50 articles did not explicitly conceptualise wellbeing, and seven factors were associated with emotional wellbeing across 38 articles — related
• Affective experience during situated collaborative problem solving is organized around a stable epistemic core linking curiosity, optimism, and confusion with short-range persistence — related
• A UK-focused systematic review identifies six key priority areas for primary-secondary school transitions: familiarity, relationships, intrapersonal skills, pastoral support, collaboration, and families — related
• There is a need for a standardised, validated wellbeing instrument suitable for longitudinal use to evaluate primary-secondary transitions interventions — related