Characteristics of Adolescent Life Goals in Contemporary China: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

Adolescence is a developmental period when individuals actively evaluate and construct their life goals. During the past several decades, China has transformed dramatically toward a highly competitive, market-oriented society. Despite a growing interest in exploring the implications of cultural values for youth adjustment in contemporary China, little is known about what life goals are prevalent among Chinese adolescents. This mixed-methods study aimed to identify the key themes of life goals and to examine gender, grade, and urban-rural differences in the identified themes among Chinese adolescents, using quantitative and qualitative methods. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 163 middle- and high-school students in urban and rural China. Thirteen key life goal themes were identified; among them, the most mentioned themes were Family Well-being, Academic Excellence, and Personal Happiness. Quantitative results showed grade and urban-rural differences in the adolescents’ endorsement of the themes of life goals. Specifically, more middle schoolers and rural students endorsed life goals that emphasize social belonging and group well-being, whereas more high schoolers and urban students endorsed life goals that underscore individual independence and uniqueness. These results indicated the implications of social change for adolescents’ life goals in contemporary China.

The development of self- and group orientations among Chinese young adolescents: Implications for social and behavioral adjustment.

“…Considering that adolescence has prolonged nowadays (Sawyer et al, 2018), it is important to include younger and older adolescents in the study of self- and group orientations. X. Wang et al (2023), for example, found in a cross-sectional study that compared with students in junior high schools, students in senior high schools were less likely to emphasize group well-being and social belongings and more likely to endorse life goals of personal happiness and independence.…”

“…X. Wang et al (2023), for example, found in a cross-sectional study that compared with students in junior high schools, students in senior high schools were less likely to emphasize group well-being and social belongings and more likely to endorse life goals of personal happiness and independence. The results suggest that the increase in self-orientation and the decrease in group orientation may continue in late adolescence.…”