Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
Profiles of a developmental asset: youth purpose as a context for hope and well-being
Anthony L Burrow1, Amanda C O'Dell, Patrick L Hill
1Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. alb325@cornell.edu
Abstract:
While having a purpose in life has been theorized as a developmental asset, the extent to which adolescents cultivate a meaningful sense of direction is not well understood. In the present study, cluster analysis was used to classify adolescents by levels of purpose exploration and commitment. The sample (N = 318; 55% female) consisted of youth aged 14-18 and was predominantly White/non-Hispanic (76.3%). Results supported four meaningful yet distinguishable profiles of youth purpose that are largely consistent with theories on identity formation: Achieved, Foreclosed, Uncommitted, and Diffused. Hypothesized linkages with affect and hope were established across the profiles such that positive emotions and goal-directed thinking were most apparent among Achieved and Foreclosed youth and least apparent among Diffused and Uncommitted youth. Overall, findings demonstrate the inherent complexity in adolescents' engagement with purpose and suggest a correspondence between stronger commitments to purpose and youths' sense of personal agency and well-being.
Related Concept Videos
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth. This guiding role...
Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adulthood
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early adulthood, from the 20s...
Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adolescence
Emerging Adulthood