Being my future: Adolescents’ future oriented projects with non-parental adults
S. K. Marshall (PI), G. Charles, R. Young; SSHRC 2017-2020
Thinking about and acting upon the future is difficult without prior experience. That is why adolescents are more successful in thinking about the future when they have the support of their parents (e.g., Hirschi, 2009; Rogers & Creed, 2011; Turner & Lapan, 2001) or role models (e.g., Packard & Nguyen, 2003; Sjaastad, 2012). Older individuals more often have knowledge gleaned from experience that can be relayed to the next generation. But the immediate social network is a limited resource as it will repeatedly lead to the same information (Granovetter, 1973). Links or referrals to other sources may open up opportunities for adolescents to gain information about future life engagements including education, vocation, leisure, and relationships.
Current research on adolescents’ thinking and acting upon the future investigates the ways adults influence youth – but not how adolescents gain information and advice from adults. Since adolescents are becoming adults so it is important to understand how they engage and interact with non-parental adults as part of their socialization processes and entry into adult social networks. Further, the ability to document how adults engage with adolescents about their future will inform our limited understanding of informal mentors’ experiences of working with youth.
Research Questions:
The objective of this research program is to describe the naturally occurring non-parental social support for youths’ future oriented projects that are constructed, point to, and anticipate future life engagements including education, vocation, leisure, and relationships. The objectives are addressed through the following research questions:
(a) How do adolescents actively draw on social resources of non-parental adults in their network?
(b) How do adolescents and their selected non-parental adults construct, articulate, and act on goals and strategies related to the adolescents’ future?
(c) What meaning do the joint goal-directed actions between adolescents and non-parental adults have for the adults?
Method. The Qualitative Action Project Method will be used to address the research questions. The longitudinal protocol collects information through multiple sources: observations of adolescent and adult interactions, video-mediated recall interviews, and self-reports. We will follow 20 adolescents and up to three of their selected non-parental adults over a period of approximately nine months. The analysis of data focuses on adolescents’ use of their network, goal-directed actions and joint projects over time as the adolescents’ select and engage with adults, and the adults’ reported meaning of engaging with adolescents about their futures. Findings will be reported as identified future oriented projects, detailing participants’ goals, action steps, cognitive and emotional steering and regulation, behaviors, and resources used, and adolescents’ patterns of engagement with non-parental adults in their social networks.
Significance. The program of research will fill theoretical and methodological gaps in understanding how adolescents seek out and engage with non-parental adults. It will also provide information for the emerging body of literature on informal mentors’ experiences with adolescents. Professionals such as teachers, social workers, school counsellors, parents, and adults interested in mentoring will gain information about the ways adolescents construct their futures outside of the family. Translation of the findings will support the enhancement of programs and practices promoting adolescent future planning and engagement with informal adult mentors.
