A longitudinal study of school adjustment and social skills of students starting primary school 1st grade

The study aimed to examine the school adjustment and social skills of students who started first grade in primary school longitudinally. The sample group consisted of 102 first-grade students, 57 of whom were boys and 45 of whom were girls, who started primary school in Sinop. Personal Information Form, Teacher Rating Scale of School Adjustment (7-12 ages), Social Skills Evaluation Scale (7-12 ages) were used as data collection tools. Data collection tools were filled out twice for each child by their teachers, in the fall and spring semesters. The data of the study were analysed with Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and Simple Linear Regression Analysis techniques in SPSS 26.0 statistical package programme. In the findings, a positive relationship was found between school adjustment in autumn and its sub-dimensions (liking school, cooperative participation, self-management) and social skills, while a negative relationship was found with the sub-dimension of school avoidance. Social skills in autumn predicted total school adjustment and its sub-dimensions (liking school, cooperative participation, self-management, and school avoidance) in autumn. A significant positive relationship was found between social skills and total school adjustment and its sub-dimensions (school liking, cooperative participation, self- directiveness) in spring. A significant negative relationship was found between the school avoidance sub-dimension and social skills in the spring. Social skills in spring predicted total school adjustment and its sub-dimensions (school liking, cooperative participation, self-directiveness, school avoidance) in spring.