| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 352659 | Contemporary Educational Psychology | 2012 | 12 Pages |
Theories of adolescent identity development often emphasize the importance of adolescents’ future work goals, yet these theories rarely distinguish the self-oriented motives (enjoying or being a good fit for one’s work) from the beyond-the-self-oriented motives (having a positive impact on the world beyond the self) that underlie them. The present article explored the impact and development of both types of motives. Using longitudinal, mixed-methods data from middle school and high school students (N = 99), the present article found that: (1) adolescents generated both self-oriented and beyond-the-self-oriented motives for their future work goals, often simultaneously; (2) adolescents who held both self-oriented and beyond-the-self-oriented motives for their work goals were more likely to experience higher levels of purpose and meaning over a 2-year period than those who held neither; (3) school assignments that asked students to reflect on their work goals were positively related only to the development of self-oriented motives for work goals among middle school students; and (4) support from friends was positively related only to the development of self-oriented motives for work goals among high school students.
► Adolescents’ identity development is frequently thought of as self-oriented. ► But combining self-oriented aims with aims beyond the self may promote positive development. ► Students with combined aims showed greater well-being over a 2 year period. ► School factors could predict whether students developed these aims. ► But these school factors were different for middle school versus high school adolescents.
