Shaping a Future of Purposeful Work
Three Factors Influencing Adolescent Career Purpose Exploration
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22416253 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Christine L J D’Amico (0009-0004-8486-5091, Claremont Graduate University, corresponding author), Lisa Kearns (0000-0003-0825-0234, Claremont Graduate University), Dacey Bashaw (Claremont Graduate University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-12 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Adolescent Research (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0743-5584 • E-ISSN: 1552-6895 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/07435584261464068 |
| OpenAlex | W7168180774 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 51 |
Adolescents value the idea of purposeful careers and gain numerous benefits from exploring career purpose options early in their education. However, most families and educational systems would benefit from a deeper understanding of adolescent career purpose exploration. Through qualitative interviews and thematic analysis, this exploratory study uncovers important factors for supporting early exploration of career purpose. A socioeconomically diverse group of high school sophomores ( N = 45; M age = 15.6) identified significant factors that helped them explore early career purpose interests. Findings suggest the importance of: (1) new, fun, and/or meaningful experiences to inspire and further the exploration of purposeful work, (2) authentic connections with others, especially parents, for needed social support, and (3) key psychological strengths including prosocial behavior, identity and future self development, and resilience in the face of life pressures. These exploratory findings offer insights to guide school- and family-based interventions aimed at strengthening adolescent career purpose exploration. Further studies will benefit adolescents by improving career purpose exploration processes and assisting adolescents in building a future that includes a career purpose in life.
Career development · Exploratory research · Identity (music) · Intervention (counseling) · Prosocial behavior · Psychological intervention · Psychological resilience · Qualitative research · Thematic analysis · Career Development and Diversity · Higher Education and Employability · Work-Family Balance Challenges
Purpose, hope, and life satisfaction in three age groups
Claremont Purpose Scale
Possible Identities
Prosocial behavior increases perceptions of meaning in life
Interrater reliability
Can helping others strengthen teens? Character strengths as mediators between prosocial behavior and adolescents’ internalizing symptoms
Civic Purpose
Purpose and goal pursuit as a self‐sustaining system
Adolescent Characteristics by Type of Long-Term Aim in Life
Social support preferences of adolescents exploring career purpose
Relational Developmental Systems and Family Research
Internet-mediated phone interviews for remote qualitative educational research in the Global South during Covid–19
Adolescent Purpose Development
Whatever You Become, Just Be Proud of It.” Uncovering the Ways Families Influence Black and Latino Adolescent Boys’ Postsecondary Future Selves
Students’ Beliefs About the Nature of Intelligence (Mindset)
How Supportive of Their Specific Purposes Do Youth Believe Their Family and Friends Are
My Mentor Thinks That I can Be Someone Amazing”
Does Purpose Grow Here? Exploring 4-H as a Context for Cultivating Youth Purpose
Career Centered High School Education and Post–High School Career Adaptation
Commentary
Purpose and Character Development in Early Adolescence
Profiles of a Developmental Asset
Purpose as a form of identity capital for positive youth adjustment
Purpose and Meaning in Career Development Applications
Development during adolescence
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Moving From Passion to Purpose
Telephone Versus Face-to-Face Interviews
The Development of Purpose During Adolescence
Adolescent Development
Everything Is Perfect, and We Have No Problems
| Highly cited | No |
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