The present study explored the ways in which adolescent Black girls responded to oppressive stereotypes and expectations based on their racial, gender, and intersectional (race-x-gender) identities. Participants included 60 girls who were students at a predominantly Black, all-girls high school ( M age = 16.17 years) and completed a 1:1 semi-structured interview about their identity experiences. Expanding on existing research that offers modes of responding to oppression that are dichotomized and value-laden (i.e., resistance or accommodation), we find that adolescent Black girls engaged in a range of broad, nuanced, and overlapping strategies, within the larger categories of accommodation , survival , and liberation . We note that Black girls strategically negotiated the oppressive contexts in which they develop, and that their choice of response strategy connected to the type of oppression that they were navigating as well as their ability to maintain a coherent sense of self through their experiences with harmful structures and ideologies. Our findings highlight the need to learn from and support Black girls in developing a toolkit of strategies they can use to respond to the complexities of oppression, as well as a sense of agency in choosing which strategy to employ in which context.
The current study aims to understand how parental and adolescent beliefs related to academic achievement and motivation can influence areas such as perceived pressure and perspectives of future career goals. Although previous research has focused on experiences related to academic motivation and achievement among adolescents, there are limited studies prioritizing both parent and adolescent perceptions. Qualitative interviews among seven Asian American adolescent-mother dyads were conducted in the United States of America, with interviews facilitated separately for adolescents and mothers. The study included seven adolescent participants from grades 9 to 12, consisting of five females and two males. All were academically driven and highly involved in extracurricular and co-curricular activities. Utilizing thematic analysis, four main themes were identified: (a) Adolescents’ Perceived Pressure for High Achievement, (b) Youth Involvement in Extracurricular Activities, (c) Parent-Child Perspectives of Career Development, and (d) Family Values. Results indicated that perceptions of pressure were different among mother-adolescent dyads, and parental approaches to achievement motivation were embedded within family values. This likely minimized adolescent resentment and strengthened family connections. The findings highlight the critical role of facilitating healthy parent-child relationships and the importance of using a culturally situated approach when working with diverse families.
Teen dating violence (TDV) victimization leads to serious health consequences including substance use, suicidal ideation, injury, and death. Young Black American women report consistently high rates of physically violent teen dating relationships compared to other racial groups. However, research rarely examines cultural assets—individual and collective resources that help Black women maintain positive identity and healthy outcomes—as protective factors against TDV. This study explored how cultural assets facilitate healthy romantic relationships for young Black women through virtual interviews with 36 participants (ages 18–21). Using intersectionality and counternarrative theoretical frameworks, researchers identified four key cultural assets participants believed promoted healthy relationship dynamics: (1) direct, straightforward communication; (2) self-sufficiency, independence, and resilience; (3) nurturing and protecting partners; and (4) intersectionally-informed perspective taking. Analysis also revealed unintended negative consequences of these cultural assets, including hesitancy to fully share oneself in relationships and bracing for disappointment. As one of the first studies to examine cultural assets as facilitators of healthy intimate relationships among young Black women, these findings offer an important foundation for developing culturally informed TDV interventions that center on community strengths rather than exclusively emphasizing risk.
Parents face unique challenges as their children leave secondary school and advance into the emerging adulthood years. This study explores parents’, primarily mothers’, experiences of parenting as their children (16 – 19 years) were in their last months of school. Thirty Australian parents (28 mothers and 2 fathers) were individually interviewed. Reflexive thematic analyses revealed two overarching themes with seven subthemes. Overarching themes were the pressures of parenting an older adolescent and parents’ ways of coping with their revealed challenges and pressures. Four subthemes related to the pressures of parenting, including societal expectations and upward social comparison; national or global challenges that may limit youth’s opportunities; perceived judgment of parenting skill; and emotional demands. Three subthemes reflected coping with pressures: resisting the idea of a perfect parent; downward social comparisons; and adjusting parenting practices. The findings show that parents experience multiple pressures but draw on both cognitive and behavioral strategies in attempts to cope with these demands. These strategies help parents feel positive about their role and maintain their commitment to supporting their children as they enter emerging adulthood. The findings highlight the importance of reshaping cultural narratives around “perfect parenting” and encouraging balanced family communication to support healthier transitions to adulthood.
Adolescents value the idea of purposeful careers and gain numerous benefits from exploring career purpose options early in their education. However, most families and educational systems would benefit from a deeper understanding of adolescent career purpose exploration. Through qualitative interviews and thematic analysis, this exploratory study uncovers important factors for supporting early exploration of career purpose. A socioeconomically diverse group of high school sophomores ( N = 45; M age = 15.6) identified significant factors that helped them explore early career purpose interests. Findings suggest the importance of: (1) new, fun, and/or meaningful experiences to inspire and further the exploration of purposeful work, (2) authentic connections with others, especially parents, for needed social support, and (3) key psychological strengths including prosocial behavior, identity and future self development, and resilience in the face of life pressures. These exploratory findings offer insights to guide school- and family-based interventions aimed at strengthening adolescent career purpose exploration. Further studies will benefit adolescents by improving career purpose exploration processes and assisting adolescents in building a future that includes a career purpose in life.
Ethnic-racial inequalities persist in learning opportunities related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and contribute to the underrepresentation of racial minorities in STEM-related careers. Previous research has explored different ecological contexts in relation to youth development; however, perspectives from minoritized youth about STEM programming are an underexplored element in relation to STEM equity. Utilizing the Phenomenological Variant Ecological Systems Theory as our framework, this study examines how minoritized youth perceive barriers and facilitators to accessing STEM programs across different ecological contexts. Data for this qualitative community-based, youth-led research study consisted of six focus groups. Participants ( N = 55) ranged in age from 13 to 24 years old. Findings highlight the often-overlooked exosystem as a critical influence on adolescents’ perceptions of STEM opportunities and academic success. Furthermore, minoritized youth are perceiving disproportional rates of negative barriers compared to facilitators in accessing STEM programming. Directions for future research and policy is discussed.
Visions of future possible selves are powerful motivators of human behavior. In adolescence, a pivotal period for identity formation, how parents envision and interpret their children's futures, and how these visions are expressed and enacted in daily life, constitute a critical yet understudied aspect of adolescent development. We examined these issues through in-depth interviews with 24 urban Chinese mothers of high school-aged adolescents. Thematic analysis revealed that mothers held multifaceted perceptions of their adolescents' possible selves, encompassing aspirations for holistic long-term development alongside a short-term priority of academic achievement. Although mothers frequently emphasized the importance of autonomy support, they also stressed the need for parental guidance. Perceiving academic success as a key stepping stone toward ideal future possibilities, mothers expressed strong motivation and described their current parenting efforts as focusing on helping with preparation for the college entrance examination, while conversations about career development were limited. Findings are discussed in relation to major motivational theories (e.g., Identity-Based Motivation, Self-Determination Theory) and youth developmental frameworks (e.g., Positive Youth Development, Possibility Development), as well as the interplay between evolving societal expectations and enduring cultural values.
This article examines the experiences of three families who were unable to secure mentors through a Youth-Initiated Mentoring (YIM) program. YIM is an emerging mentoring model that invites youth to identify adults in their existing networks and nominate them as mentors. The emerging evidence on YIM has been largely positive; however, important opportunities remain to explore potential risks. Data were collected from six participants, who included youth ( n = 3) and their caregivers ( n = 3). Participants were involved in a YIM program at a Big Brothers Big Sisters agency in Canada. Data were collected via observations and interviews and analyzed using qualitative coding procedures. Results indicated families participated to be matched with a mentor they knew and trusted, and to expedite their matching process. Nominees were youth professionals and adults closely connected to the family, who were described as caring, knowledgeable, and playful. Two families engaged in unstructured mentor-nominations without program support. Risk-mitigation strategies helped set expectations and prepare families. Participants reported disappointment and frustration after not successfully recruiting mentors. Directions for future research and practice are discussed. This article addresses the critical need for research on the risks of YIM, contributing to a more balanced discussion of the emerging mentoring model.
A preponderance of research suggests that adolescents’ participation in structured after-school activities is linked to academic benefits, yet less is known about the educational effects of different types of after-school engagement. This mixed methods, two-wave longitudinal study examined associations between school-, community-, and home-based after-school activities and academic outcomes among Latino adolescents. The quantitative sample included 416 Latino adolescents at Wave 1 ( M age = 15.5) and 335 who participated at Wave 2 one year later ( M age = 16.6), serving as the analytic sample. A subsample of 45 adolescents participated in semi-structured interviews. Overall participation in structured activities was low, with unstructured home-based activities reported most often. Longitudinal path models indicated that greater breadth of structured community-based activity participation was associated with higher educational expectations one year later. Greater breadth and intensity of unstructured community-based activities were associated with lower subsequent GPA. Home-based activities showed no main effects but exhibited gender-differentiated associations with school effort and belonging. Qualitative findings contextualized these patterns, highlighting perceived academic benefits of tutoring, sports, and mentoring, alongside time constraints and family responsibilities that shaped adolescents’ engagement. Together, findings underscore the importance of activity structure and context in understanding how after-school experiences are linked to academic outcomes.
As they navigate public schools and Islamic weekend school settings, Muslim American adolescent girls negotiate gendered, linguistic, racial, and religious identities across contexts that often frame being Muslim and being American as oppositional. This qualitative study examines how these adolescents construct in-between spaces through which they manage belonging, legitimacy, and constraint across multiple, and sometimes conflicting, social environments. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and cultural studies of hybridity and third space, the study draws on three collective case studies involving interviews with six Muslim American adolescent girls from diverse racial and linguistic backgrounds, as well as three mothers and six teachers. Findings reveal four interrelated forms of in-between spaces: race and language, religion and culture, being American Muslim, and dawah and activism. Across these spaces, participants navigated both external Islamophobia and internal community hierarchies, negotiating when identity work felt empowering and when it became burdensome. The findings underscore the need for closer collaboration between public schools and Muslim community institutions to support Muslim adolescents in navigating identity without forcing binary choices between faith and belonging.
Using a reflective, phenomenological design, the current study explored how gifted adolescents presented themselves on social media. We collected data through semi-structured interviews with 18 gifted adolescents and used research diaries and thematic document analysis of participants' social media accounts (n = 10) and their profile statements (n = 12). Results show that gifted adolescents prefer to remain anonymous, strive to create a positive self-image, and perceive social media as a "frontstage." Their need for social approval shapes their sharing preferences. They primarily use filters in their posts to look more beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, engage in social surveillance out of curiosity, and leave digital footprints on social media. We discussed our findings in terms of the anonymity/visibility paradox. Contradictions between the adolescents' stated practices, such as claiming anonymity, limited sharing, and their observed behaviors, such as extensive shared personal information in profiles, are worth further and deeper investigations.
This study aimed to investigate the dynamics of the acculturation process within Polish, opposite sex, nuclear families residing in Spain. Havighurst's developmental goals associated with life stages, the Relative Acculturation Extended Model (RAEM), and the theory of family loyalties provided a theoretical framework for a qualitative multiple case study. The research involved 19 families of Polish or partially Polish origin (with 44 participants in total: 23 second and "1.5 generation" children aged 10-18, 19 mothers, and two fathers). Data collection methods included semi-structured individual interviews and participatory observation. The data analysis utilized Template Analysis, which is an approach rooted in interpretative phenomenological analysis, using the theoretical frame (template) in this case devised on the life areas outlined in the RAEM. According to mothers' retrospective narratives about their migration experience, the developmental stage they were in at the time of arrival played a significant role in the acculturation process for Polish mothers. The findings also suggest that adolescents, especially those from the second generation of migrants, encounter a significant acculturation gap while managing developmental tasks linked to achieving autonomy, while experiencing a strong sense of family loyalty. Such results hold potential significance for informing therapeutic interventions aimed at supporting immigrant families.
Economic inequality impacts development across the lifespan, influencing access to resources, suitable housing, and quality schooling. However, we lack an understanding of how differences in income shape interpersonal interactions, such as social class discrimination. Adolescence is a key developmental period to examine this construct, given identity formation and cognitive advances. We conducted semi-structured interviews with adolescents (n = 33; 18 cisgender girls and 15 cisgender boys) and adults (n = 8; five teachers and three parents; seven cisgender women and one trans-male). Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis, incorporating both structured and reflexive coding. Findings indicated three themes. First, Social Class Discrimination Occurs in a Variety of Ways captured experiences ranging from overt acts to subtle biases. Targets included the adolescent (direct) and via other individuals (indirect). Sources of discrimination were teachers, adolescents, adults in the community, and social media. Second, What Makes Social Class Discrimination Unique highlighted its novel qualities, such as appearance, materials, housing conditions, parental occupation, and wealth. Third, The Intersectionality of Social Class Discrimination indicated its overlap with race/ ethnicity, skin color, and gender. Addressing this topic is crucial for supporting adolescent well-being. Efforts to combat such discrimination should consider its multidimensionality, uniqueness, and intersectionality.
Adolescents increasingly report anxiety and depression concerns, yet few find professional help. Online short videos (OSVs, e.g., TikToks, Instagram Reels) are popular among adolescents and might be a source of mental health information and support. To understand why and how adolescents use mental health OSVs, we conducted in-person and online interviews with 24 Dutch adolescents with anxiety and depression (14-18 years, Mage = 16.21, 58.33% female) and analyzed the data using reflexive thematic analysis (using inductive and deductive coding). We identified four themes: (1) From being drawn to, to being drowned; (2) Supportive scrolls; (3) A dive into the dark; (4) Not everyone's cup of T(ikTok). Our themes capture the multifaceted experiences of adolescents and show how adolescents initially perceived OSVs as helpful but later as overwhelming and triggering, leading to changes in use. Our findings have important implications for understanding the promises and pitfalls of OSVs and which strategies adolescents and healthcare professionals can use to navigate these pitfalls (e.g., double-checking information, the importance for professionals to address and be open-minded about adolescents' OSVs use). Future research should adopt longitudinal, experimental or data-donation designs to elucidate causal effects.
Black adolescent girls encounter multiple levels of discriminatory injustices, including racism and sexism. Invisibility is an oppressive practice and a form of gendered racism used to marginalize Black girls. This study uses intersectionality and Black Feminist Epistemology as theoretical frames to explore and define invisibility for Black girls. Using a grounded theory methodological approach, data collection included two rounds of interviews with each participant who identified as a Black girl currently enrolled in high school in the United States (N = 13, ages 14-18, Mage = 16.54). The analysis process defined invisibility and uncovered the multidimensional themes of invisibility for Black girls related to feeling a lack of support, unacknowledged, dismissed, dehumanized, unheard, minimized, and excluded. These themes make up how Black girls articulated feeling invisible and illuminated implications for their well-being when feeling invisible in school. Findings also revealed several harmful types of invisibility motivated by gendered racial stereotypes, which have implications for Black girls' wellness and school participation.
Ageism against older adults is well documented, but adolescents also experience ageism in ways that remain under-researched. Anti-youth ageism consists of stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination toward adolescents due to their age. This qualitative study aimed to document adolescents' experiences of anti-youth ageism based on one-on-one interviews with a racially, ethnically and geographically diverse sample of forty 14- to 18-year-olds. Inductive thematic analysis yielded four main themes. First, adolescents observed adults espousing various negative stereotypes about adolescents that form a foundation for anti-youth ageism. Second, adolescents explained how adults' negative stereotypes translate into unfair treatment of adolescents. Third, adolescents described how adults' unfair treatment toward adolescents due to age overlays with experiences of racism, cisheterosexism, classism, and ableism. Fourth, adults' exercise of power over adolescents is a driver of anti-youth ageism. Together, these processes illustrate how anti-youth ageism is a form of oppression faced by adolescents and highlight the need to interrupt these harmful processes.
This study examines how community-based organizations providing wraparound services support opportunity youth-young people who are neither enrolled in school nor employed-by facilitating access to relationships and resources responsive to their needs. The study focused on six programs in Minnesota, including four urban and two rural sites, designed to strengthen education and career outcomes for opportunity youth. Using semi-structured focus groups and interviews, data were collected from 75 youth participants (ages 14-24; 52% cis-female; 90% youth of color) and 54 program staff. Inductive thematic analysis, conducted with NVivo software, identified key themes across programs, including how relationships and resources were provided, strengthened, and leveraged to enhance educational and career opportunities with and for youth. Findings show how staff cultivated trust by collaboratively helping youth overcome systemic barriers, appropriately sharing life experiences, understanding young people's needs, facilitating targeted support, providing encouragement and accountability with flexibility, and empowering young people's autonomy. Staff connected young people with previously inaccessible social capital while helping them build the knowledge and skills to leverage these assets.
Organizations that create opportunities for youth (14-21 years old) to be near-peer educators empower youth leadership through relational and community-oriented commitments. In this study, we describe how youth, employed to teach others STEM subjects, understand leadership, including what good leadership looks like and how the organizations they work for support their development as leaders. We include in-depth interviews with six youth community STEM educators. Participants in our study characterized youth leadership in side-by-side or dialogic leadership styles which catalyzed a sense of responsibility and a focus on giving back to their self-identified communities. Leadership in youth near-peer teaching settings is not individual, rather participants see themselves as part of a leadership team. Organizations supported leadership by creating family like structures and distributing opportunities for leadership to everyone. To disrupt educational inequities, young people need, and can excel in, authentic opportunities to lead.
In the United States, how parents and youth make sense of, resist, and reinforce the macro-level context of white supremacy and intersectional oppression is crucial to racial socialization and identity development. In the current paper, we examine this reciprocal relationship, arguing that nice, liberal whiteness acts as a master narrative in New England, where the current study takes place. Comprised of a self-image of tolerance combined with general silence on race, racism, and related oppression, this societal script shapes daily life while maintaining white racial segregation and supremacy. We analyzed the manifestation of this master narrative using interviews on race and LGBTQ+ issues with 22 mothers (Mage = 45.50, SD = 5.32; 21 white, one Black/white Multiracial; all women) and their adolescent children (n = 22; Mage = 13.82, SD = .39; 19 white, two Multiracial, one Black; 14 girls, eight boys), from financially advantaged, predominantly white communities. Using qualitative analysis, we identified four themes that reinforced and two that resisted the master narrative. Our findings highlight both the pervasive nature of nice, liberal whiteness and ambivalence in socialization and development. Drawing on a critical whiteness lens, we explore participants' narratives and unpack implications at the individual and societal levels.
The role of Latinx families in their adolescents' educational journey is critical for youth development and achievement across K-12 and postsecondary education. This qualitative study, grounded in Funds of Knowledge (FoK) and Phenomenological Variant Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST), explores how Latinx families foster college-going behaviors and self-efficacy among adolescents. Participants included 20 Latinx parents (predominantly mothers) of adolescents in middle and high school as well as college from low- to middle-income households, from the Southwest region of the U.S. Using an embedded case study design, in-depth family interviews were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis guided by an inductive approach. Three key themes emerged: (1) parental socialization practices that emphasize the value of education, (2) modeling of economic knowledge-sharing and resourcefulness, and (3) cultivation of youth self-efficacy. Findings highlight culturally informed practices by which Latinx families support adolescents' college-going orientations and sense of self-efficacy. This work underscores the importance of understanding family engagement as a multifaceted process that can be leveraged to advance Latinx youth's educational attainment.
