Youth Future Orientation: The Role of Psychological Factors and the Impact of Collective Stressful Events
Chair(s): Federica Stefanelli (University of Florence, Italy)
Discussant(s): Ersilia Menesini (University of Florence, Italy)
Future orientation, defined as "a consciously represented and self-reported image of one’s own future," is a multifaceted human trait that encompasses motivational, cognitive, and behavioral dimensions (Seginer, 2009). It plays a crucial role in supporting adaptation across various life domains, particularly during life transitions (e.g., future education, occupation; Poletti et al., 2023) and under stressful situations (e.g., Masten et al., 2006).
Despite its relevance, research on this topic remains limited. The psychological factors and mechanisms that shape its dimensions are not fully understood, particularly concerning underrepresented groups such as immigrant youths. Furthermore, in the context of today's society, where collective stressful events (e.g., terrorist attacks, wars, pandemics, natural disasters, climate change, and economic crises) are becoming more frequent, the effects of such events on young people's future orientation—along with the associated factors and coping strategies adopted—remain largely unexamined.
Within this framework, the symposium has two main objectives: 1) to explore the psychological factors and mechanisms that shape future orientation and its dimensions, with a particular focus on underrepresented groups (e.g., immigrant youth), and 2) to examine the impact of collective stressful events on individual future orientation, along with the associated factors and coping strategies.
The first contribution investigates the motivational and achievement-related factors that influence immigrant adolescents' high educational and occupational aspirations in Austria. The second contribution, based on a qualitative study, delves into the concerns of Italian adolescents about their future in the context of collective stressful events, exploring the coping strategies they use to navigate these challenges. Lastly, the mediating role of academic self-efficacy in the relationship between perceived educational and work demands and future-oriented outlook is examined within a sample of Italian university students.
Overall, this symposium, using a multimethod approach, offers valuable insights into youth future orientation in contemporary society across two different countries.
Presentations of the Symposium
Motivational and achievement related factors associated with immigrant adolescents’ educational and occupational aspirations
Dagmar Strohmeier1, Marlene Kollmayer2, Selma Korlat2, Barbara Schober2, Christiane Spiel2
1University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, University of Stavanger, 2University of Vienna
Immigrant youth show higher educational and occupational aspirations as well as higher interest in academic learning, but lower levels of academic achievement and scholastic self-concept compared with their non-immigrant peers. Because learning interest and scholastic self-concept are individual strengths that develop because of achievement-related experiences that youth make at school, it is highly relevant to better understand whether and how perceived teaching styles contribute to this sub-optimal pattern of characteristics among immigrant adolescents. Self-determination theory suggests that teaching styles differ according to what degree teachers aim to promote autonomy, competence, and social relatedness among their students.
For immigrant youth, schooling is not only an academic but also an acculturative experience. Therefore, it is highly relevant to better understand to what extent the promotion of the three basic needs during host language instruction is associated with high levels of scholastic self-concept and learning interest, good school grades as well as high educational and occupational aspirations.
Combining the main ideas of the situated expectancy-value theory (SEVT) of motivated behavioral choices (Eccles & Wigfield, 2020) and STD (Ryan &Deci, 2020), the present study tested the motivational and achievement related factors associated with immigrant adolescents’ high educational and occupational aspirations. Adolescents residing in Austria (457 girls; 235 first-generation, 418 second-generation, and 238 2.5-generation immigrants) aged 11 to 15 years (Mage = 12.50, SDage = 1.08) participated. For all three immigrant groups, high levels of social relatedness supportive teaching styles in German language predicted high levels of scholastic self-concept, high levels of scholastic self-concept in German language predicted high levels of achievement, and high levels of academic achievement predicted high levels of aspirations. High levels of competence supportive teaching styles predicted high levels of scholastic self-concept only among first generation immigrants. The implications for host country language instruction of immigrant adolescents are discussed.
Collective Stressful Events and Adolescents’ Future-Thinking: A Qualitative Study
Maria Chiara Basilici, Federica Stefanelli, Ersilia Menesini
University of Florence
Over the past two decades, contemporary society has experienced a series of collective stressful events-such as terrorist attacks, wars, pandemics, natural disasters, climate change, and economic crises-that may have shaped adolescents' perceptions of their futures, fostering a sense of uncertainty and challenge (So et al., 2018). Despite this issue, the existing literature remains limited, and the effects of such events on adolescents’ future-thinking and the coping strategies they may adopt are largely unclear. To fill this gap, the present study aims to explore the concerns of Italian adolescents about their future in relation to collective stressful events, as well as the coping strategies they use to face them.
A total of 12 focus groups were conducted in spring 2024 with 97 high school students (46.4% females; Mage=15.34; SDage=1.06) in Italy. The participants were asked about collective stressful events they have experienced in the pats or are currently facing. They were also asked to reflect on what worried them most about their future in relation to these events and to identify coping strategies to manage them. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis.
Students identified four collective stressful events: war, climate change, economic crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. In relation to these events, five key concerns about their future emerged: ‘uncertainty about future plans and goals,’ ‘limitations on personal freedom,’ ‘deteriorating survival conditions,’ ‘the outbreak of sudden events and natural disasters,’ and ‘job loss and increase in prices.’ Regarding strategies to cope with the stress caused by previous events, five themes emerged: ‘taking action,’ ‘staying informed,’ ‘avoiding overthinking,’ ‘seeking social support (from family, friends, and teachers),’ and ‘seeking support from institutions.’
Further analyses will provide depeer insights on adolescents‘collective stressful events and future-thinking.
Perceived demands of social change and youths’ future orientation: the mediating role of self-efficacy beliefs
Chiara Remondi, Maria Gerbino, Eriona Thartori, Fiorenzo Laghi, Concetta Pastorelli
Sapienza University of Rome
In times of rapid and broad social and economic change, youths are facing increasing demands and uncertainties regarding their academic careers and future employment opportunities. These changes have disrupted traditional pathways to professional success, requiring youths to adapt to evolving labor market conditions, technological advancements, and global economic shifts (Lechner, Tomasik & Silbereisen, 2016).
Under these circumstances, the heightened uncertainties related to academic careers (e.g., risk for getting no job) may have negatively affected youths’ beliefs in their capabilities to manage their own learning activities; to master different academic subjects; and to fulfill personal, academic demands (i.e., academic self-efficacy), ultimately leading to difficulties in achieving specific long-term goals, and, as such, in building a positive future-oriented outlook. In fact, as suggested by previous studies (e.g., Pinquart & Silbereisen, 2004), under adverse social circumstances, youths are called to integrate the challenges posed by shifting career expectations and job demands with their internal resources (e.g, self-efficacy beliefs) to set goals and make decisions with cascading influences in later life opportunities.
This study investigates the mediating role of academic self-efficacy in the relationship between perceived educational and work demands and a future-oriented outlook.
Data collection is ongoing. At now, 108 Italian university students (women, N = 92; 85.2%; mean age 21.91 ± 1.63 years) completed an online survey. Preliminary results of the mediation analyses indicated that, controlling for gender, higher perceived demands in the field of education/work were associated with lower perceived academic self-efficacy and a more negative future-oriented outlook. Additionally, academic self-efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between perceived demands and future orientation. These findings underscored the importance of fostering academic self-efficacy to help youths navigate the challenges posed by shifting career expectations and job demands, ultimately promoting more favorable future outlooks and aspirations.
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