Positive academic and vocational adjustment in adolescence is a cornerstone in understanding and mapping development in this time-frame. Recent approaches of adolescent development (e.g., Larson, 2000; Lerner, Phelps, Forman, & Bowers, 2009) have underscored the importance of capitalizing on positive dimensions of personal adjustment. In this research proposal, by means of a three-wave longitudinal study, we want to investigate how the interplay between adolescent identity and perfectionism development is related to positive academic and vocational adjustment. We aim at analyzing personal and parental dimensions of perfectionism and identity in order to understand internal and external mechanisms that foster their development. We then want to track how these two variables are linked to academic and vocational adjustment, which will be operationalized at behavioral, cognitive, and emotional levels. Participants will be sampled based on age-group (i.e., from early adolescents in the 6th grade to late adolescents in the 12th grade), rural versus urban area (i.e., adolescence residing in villages versus towns), gender, and family socio-economic background.

Project objectives

  1. Design of a three-wave longitudinal study investigating the impact of perfectionism and identity on positive academic and vocational adjustment in adolescence
  2. Implementation of the three-wave longitudinal study (N = 700)
  3. Elaboration of database and data analyses
  4. Research studies write-up
  5. Dissemination of study results in the scientific and educational community 

Proposed project outcomes

2015

  • Design of the longitudinal study
  • Implementation of the longitudinal study (Wave 1 of data collection)

2016

  • Implementation of the longitudinal study (Waves 2 and 3 of data collection)
  • Elaboration and updating of database
  • Writing of research studies (5 research studies – objective partially attainted in 2016, to be continued in 2017)
  • Dissemination of results in the scientific community (5 conference participations– objective partially attainted in 2016, to be continued in 2017)

2017

  • Writing of research studies (5 research studies – objective partially attainted in 2016, continued in 2017)
  • Dissemination of results in the scientific community (5 conference participations – objective partially attainted in 2016, continued in 2017)
  • 3 practical guides
  • 1 online workshop
  • 1 interactive conference
  • 3 workshops promoting empirically driven interventions