Empirical and theoretical research on adolescent purpose is limited. This study looked at several dimensions of purpose--classification, engagement, and commitment--that a sample of 124 7th and 8th grade students from an urban-based New Jersey middle school articulated in the form of written Purpose Essays. Students did not significantly differ on their Purpose Classification, Purpose Engagement, or Purpose Commitment, by grade, gender, or ethnicity. Additionally, their Purpose Commitment, as measured by the Modified Purpose Scale and Modified Short Grit Scale, did not differ by Purpose Classification (i.e., One Purpose, Parallel Purpose, Integrated Purpose, No Purpose). However, students who described themselves as engaging with their purpose scored higher on Purpose Commitment than students who did not indicate Purpose Engagement. Limitations and implications of this study, as well as suggestions for future research, are included in the discussion section.
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
Psychology
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Meaning (Psychology)
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Adolescent psychology
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
Identifier
ETD_9031
PhysicalDescription
Form (authority = gmd)
electronic resource
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
1 online resource (45 pages) : illustrations
Note (type = degree)
M.S.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Note (type = statement of responsibility)
by Samuel Joseph Nayman
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
School of Graduate Studies Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = local)
rucore10001600001
Location
PhysicalLocation (authority = marcorg); (displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.