Shaping the Future: The Mediating Effect of Self-Esteem and the Moderating Effect of Migration Background on the Associations Between Teacher and Family Support and Adolescents' Future Orientations

Abstract

Literature in the field of adolescent future orientations highlights the importance of forming positive conceptualisations about the future as they can act as a buffer for adolescent risk behaviour and may also fuel goal setting and development. The formation of future orientations can be influenced by multiple interacting factors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between family / teacher support and adolescent future orientations. Additionally, this study investigated whether self-esteem explained these associations and whether having a migration background influenced the strength of these associations. Unlike previous studies, future orientations were measured not only by future expectations, but also future emotions. Using data from the Dutch Youth Got Talent survey, linear regression analyses were conducted to investigate these relationships. Results showed that family support was significantly associated with higher future orientations, as was teacher support, although the link for the latter was not as strong as for the former. Self-esteem only partially explained these relationships. Contrary to our expectations, results from moderation analysis showed that having a migration background did not significantly alter the strength of the associations between social support and future orientations. Practical implications are discussed in the final stages of the report.