The development of purpose in life among adolescents who experience marginalization: Potential opportunities and obstacles.

Abstract

In recent decades there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of research focused on purpose in life, demonstrating a host of benefits that emerge for individuals committed to a purpose. As with other constructs in the positive youth development framework, there is a paucity of work investigating how experiences of marginalization impact the development of this psychological asset among adolescents. To catalyze research on this front, we draw attention to potential opportunities and obstacles associated with experiences of marginalization and how they might affect an adolescent developing a purpose in life. Like García Coll and colleagues' (1996) integrative model, our perspective includes sociocultural factors (e.g., social position, adaptive culture), an emphasis on intragroup variability, and discussion of potentially promoting and inhibiting aspects of marginalization. Following a description of existing research on purpose development during adolescence, we discuss how experiences of marginalization could contour the development of self-integrative, strong, and articulated purpose among adolescents. To conclude, specific considerations for future research are outlined, including how existing definitions of and tools for measuring purpose can be adapted to produce a scientific literature that values and includes the normative purpose development of adolescents who experience marginalization. (PsycINFO Database Record

Purpose Among Youth From Low‐Income Backgrounds: A Mixed Methods Investigation

“…However, whether purpose is equally available to all young people is an open question (Sumner, Burrow, & Hill, 2018). In what ways might growing up in a low‐income community present special challenges to purpose development?…”

“…In this way, committing to a purpose reflects healthy identity development and a central facet of positive youth development (Bronk, 2011;Damon, 2008;Erikson, 1980). However, whether purpose is equally available to all young people is an open question (Sumner, Burrow, & Hill, 2018). In what ways might growing up in a low-income community present special challenges to purpose development?…”

Purpose by design or disaster: Preserving a sense of purpose amid environmental uncertainty

“…Adolescents who are engaged in voluntary activities in their communities show the greatest level of engagement as young adults (Barber, Mueller, & Ogata, 2013). At a particularly formative developmental period for cultivating a purpose and identity (Burrow & Hill, 2011;Malin, Ballard, & Damon, 2015), restrictions on social gatherings could be deleterious for future participation in activities such as sports, volunteering, or political campaigns (Burrow, 2015;Sumner, Burrow, & Hill, 2018). Future research should also consider the impacts of Covid-19 on the developmental process and aspirational content of youth purpose.…”

What is Culture? Systems of People, Places, and Practices

“…This perspective can neglect cases in which power is not the central purpose of culture. For instance, culture can provide meaning, as illustrated in the development of integrative, resilient, and articulated purpose in life among adolescents who experience marginalization (Sumner, Burrow, & Hill, 2018). Moreover, power is not necessarily oppressive, but can have a normative and beneficial role, and can even be liberating.…”