SCHOOLS IN TRANSITION - THE ADAPTATION OF EAST-GERMAN PUPILS TO A NEWSCHOOL-SYSTEM

In a longitudinal study, a sample of seventh graders was followed over the course of a school year. At three measurement points in time, sca les were administered measuring, among others, achievement motivation, test anxiety and achievement. The sample contains pupils from East Ge rmany, who at the beginning of the seventh school year, were exposed t o the West German school system, involving risks and uncertainties as to their success and career. It is therefore hypothesized that, in com parison to their ''West German'' counterparts, they experience higher anxiety and less positive achievement motivation and that their test r esults suffer accordingly, either during the whole year or that this e ffect vanishes over time. The hypotheses are tested by analyses of var iance involving time as within subject effect. Results confirm the ada ptation hypothesis. They are discussed with respect to recent life cha nges and new curricula.