Adolescents and time perspective
Rita Chiesa, Anna Melega
This quantitative-qualitative study aims to explore adolescents’ time perspective (time orientation and time relation), their future time attitude and their perceived control over future events. 20 in-depth interviews were conducted among 17 and 18-year-old adolescents (10 males and 10 females). The results show that the majority have a present-future orientation and perceive the past, present and future as interconnected. Participants trust that they are able to influence their future, especially their careers, even if they are worried about the uncertainty caused by the current economic situation and think that some adults tend to discourage them. Despite limited generalizability of the results, they are important for educational and vocational practices.
Keywords
Time perspective, time orientation, time relation, future orientation, adolescents.
