Development of achievement goals across the transition out of secondary school

•We focused on goal changes across the transition from school into other contexts.•We realized a longitudinal study with three waves over a period of eight months.•Work avoidance goals generally decreased across the transition.•Mastery goals increased across the transition to nearly all new contexts.•High self-esteem was associated with adaptive developments in achievement goals.

Changes in achievement goals over the transition from secondary school into new educational contexts (e.g., vocational training, university studies) were addressed using a sample of 367 secondary school graduates who were tracked across three measuring points over a period of eight months (online questionnaires). Latent growth curve modeling indicated an increase in mastery goals and a decrease in work avoidance goals for all educational contexts into which transitions were made. Moreover, self-esteem at the first measuring point was found to protect an individual against maladaptive developments in achievement goal setting over the transitional period following secondary school graduation.