Predicting Positive Youth Development from Self-Regulation and Purpose in Early Adolescence

Abstract

A Positive Youth Development (PYD) perspective emphasizes adolescents' potential for healthy, successful development. Researchers have introduced a variety of constructs that may promote PYD. For example, Intentional Self-Regulation (ISR) enables youth to seek out and use resources in the environment; purpose can help youth navigate and overcome obstacles. We examine connections between ISR, purpose and two PYD outcomes: confidence and connection. Data come from 763 Scottish youth (ages 12-14). We estimated fixed-effects regression models predicting confidence and connection from both ISR and purpose, confirming outcomes were independently associated with one or both predictors. Our findings are especially salient to the field of youth purpose, linking purpose with specific PYD outcomes.

Keywords: goals; positive youth development; prosocial behavior; purpose.