THE STRESS OF SCHOOL ENTRY: PARENTAL COPING BEHAVIORS AND CHILDREN'S ADJUSTMENT TO SCHOOL

Abstract The coping reactions of parents of 58 children exhibiting signs of maladjustment upon entering elementary school and changes in adjustment to school were evaluated during the first two school years. The relationship between coping and adjustment was evaluated by measuring both synchronous and cross‐lagged correlations. As the children's adjustment worsened during the first grade, mothers increased their coping activity, but their efforts did not contribute to an improved adjustment. An adaptive and cohesive family pattern, related to a subsequent improvement in adjustment to school, was composed of variables measuring fathers' coping activities, mothers' positive attempts to stimulate the fathers' coping behaviors, parental support of the children and their co‐operation to co‐ordinate coping strategies.