Event Title
Future Orientation Among European American Adolescents: The Importance of Beliefs About Children and Family Context
Presentation Type
Oral and/or Visual Presentation
Presenter Major(s)
Psychology
Mentor Information
Mihaela Friedlmeier
Department
Psychology
Location
Kirkhof Center 2259
Start Date
11-4-2012 2:00 PM
Keywords
Culture, Gender, Identity, Social Science
Abstract
Future orientation is particularly prevalent in adolescent years when identity formation begins to develop and ideas about future family begin to form. How adolescents see their future plays an important role in their adjustment and involvement in problem behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine adolescents' expectations with regard to the number of children they wish to have as well as the age at which they want to have children by taking various sociodemographic and psychological variables into account. A sample of 270 adolescent-mother dyads from Michigan participated. Analyses showed that adolescents from large families wish to have more children. Those who perceived many costs in having children reported that they wanted to have fewer children. Optimistic adolescents want to have more children and earlier. Adolescents of highly educated mothers wished to have children at a later timepoint. Gender differences in family expectations were found and will also be discussed.
Future Orientation Among European American Adolescents: The Importance of Beliefs About Children and Family Context
Kirkhof Center 2259
Future orientation is particularly prevalent in adolescent years when identity formation begins to develop and ideas about future family begin to form. How adolescents see their future plays an important role in their adjustment and involvement in problem behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine adolescents' expectations with regard to the number of children they wish to have as well as the age at which they want to have children by taking various sociodemographic and psychological variables into account. A sample of 270 adolescent-mother dyads from Michigan participated. Analyses showed that adolescents from large families wish to have more children. Those who perceived many costs in having children reported that they wanted to have fewer children. Optimistic adolescents want to have more children and earlier. Adolescents of highly educated mothers wished to have children at a later timepoint. Gender differences in family expectations were found and will also be discussed.