Description
TitleLongitudinal modeling of student self-reported purpose in urban middle schools
Date Created2019
Other Date2019-10 (degree)
Extent1 online resource (vii, 81 pages) : illustrations
DescriptionPurpose is "a stable and generalized intention to accomplish something that is at once meaningful to the self and of consequence to the world beyond the self" (p. 121, Damon, Menon, & Bronk, 2003). Purpose incorporates three dimensions: Intention toward purpose, Engagement in purpose, and the Beyond-the-self quality of purpose. Purpose is considered an essential developmental asset and galvanizing force for adolescents of all backgrounds, but most of the literature on adolescent purpose development has investigated the construct in majority White and middle to upper income settings. This study sought to address gaps in the purpose literature by quantitatively modeling purpose among students in the setting of largely low-socioeconomic status, predominately racial/ethnic minority, urban middle schools. Using a Developmental Systems Theory framework, the study investigated the ability of relevant contextual factors, including race, gender, "failing" school status, and mental health, to predict the initial status and change in purpose.
Participants were middle school students (n = 2629) attending six low-resourced urban middle schools in the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years. Hierarchical Linear Modeling was used to model purpose, and the three purpose dimensions, over time. Model building was guided by the procedures outlined by Singer and Willett (2003). Results were unexpected in that purpose was found to decline over the course of the study. While many of the hypothesized predictors were related to the initial status of purpose, few predictors were related to change in purpose over time. The overall pattern of purpose decline and the lack of significant predictors of purpose change held for the three purpose dimensions as well.
Overall, the results of this study failed to provide clear answers to the research questions. Instead, results pointed to challenges with conceptual clarity and measurement of purpose, difficulty measuring purpose in middle school students, and the mismatch between Developmental Systems Theory and contemporary options for quantitative analysis. Understanding youth purpose development, particularly in the context of low-resourced urban schools, remains a critical priority. This study highlights the need to develop innovative procedures for statistically modeling the complex nature of youth development in context.
NotePh.D.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
Genretheses, ETD doctoral
LanguageEnglish
CollectionSchool of Graduate Studies Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
Statistical Profile