Hope for the Future and Its Associated Factors Among Adolescents in Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Hope is a universal, multidimensional psychological construct related to an individual's expectation that they will achieve desirable outcomes by setting realistic objectives. The study aims to investigate the factors associated with hope among adolescents in Tanzania. Methods Baseline characteristics were collected from 2,058 adolescent girls and 1,770 adolescent boys at 41 primary and 13 secondary schools in Korogwe District, Tanzania. The level of hope was measured using the Herth Hope Index. The associated hope factors were analyzed using multiple linear regression models based on sex. Results The results of multiple regression analyses indicated that secondary school students demonstrated significantly higher levels of hope for the future than primary school students among both adolescent girls and boys [95% CI]: 2.34 [1.53 to 3.15], 1.69 (0.98 to 2.41). Both Christian adolescent girls and boys had significantly higher levels of hope than their Muslim counterparts. Adolescent girls who intended to enrol in secondary school or obtain employment exhibited significantly higher levels of hope than those who were uncertain about their post-school plans.  Conclusions This study showed common and distinct factors associated with hope for the future ofadolescent girls and boys in Tanzania. This suggests that there are potential avenues for identifying target subpopulations of adolescent girls and boys and developing sex-specific interventions to enhance their hope for the future. Future research must focus on elucidating the methods for assessing and measuring hope in various populations in order to understand the essence of this concept based on strengths within particular cultural contexts.