Adolescents: what they say they want,

what they want you to hear, and what really makes them happy

Kathryn Williams and Joseph Ciarrochi

Some questions about values

• Are some values ‘healthier’ than others?– Idiosyncratic theories– Universal theories– Humanistic theories

• What if some values aresubject to social pressure?

• What is the relationship between values and well-being?

• How does this change as you grow up?

Theory of basic human values (Schwartz, 1992, in Schwartz and Boehnke, 2004)

Self-Determination Theory(e.g., Deci & Ryan, 2000)

• Relationships• Personal growth• Contributing to the

community• Physical health• Autonomous motives

• Power• Wealth• Being admired or

famous• Hedonism• Controlled motives

Wollongong Youth Study

• Longitudinal data from 5 schools

• Self-, peer- and teacher-report measures and grades for adolescentsaged 12-17

• Online surveys of young adults

Survey of Guiding Principles

• Based on Schwartz Values Survey• Value importance, pressure, success• Factor analysis (Stefanic 2009) – 7 factors

accounting for 76.8% of variance• Based on Schwartz theory and reliability

analysis, created three more clusters• Other items are used individually• Total of 30 items/clusters in 13 groups

SGP item* or cluster (no. items)

Universalism (3) Hedonism (2)

Having genuine, close friends* Stimulation (3)

Benevolence (4) Striving to be a better person*

Helping others* Being self-sufficient*

Having relationships involving love …* Being curious*

Religion (2) Solving problems*

Showing respect for tradition* Artistic (4)

Conformity (2) Resolving disputes*

Being safe from danger* Teaching others*

Reciprocation of favours …* Managing things*

Influence over others (3) Practical work (2)

Being admired by many people* Physical health (3)

Being wealthy* Having courage*

Conscientious achievement (4) Sex (2)

Being competent and effective*

Having a sense of accomplishment …*

Data analysis• Correlations between

value importance, pressure, success and well-being: PANAS-X, Satisfaction With Life Survey

• Plotted mean importance and pressure of value items/clusters against correlations

Correlations with well-being

Mean scores

Joviality Sadness Hostility Life satisfaction

Yr 12 Post Yr 12 Post Yr 12 Post Yr 12 Post

Importance .26** .24** -.01 -.16** -.05 -.18** .15* .36**

Pressure -.16* -.13* .17* .29** .14* .26** -.16* -.18**

Success .33** .39** -.15* -.29** -.04 -.26** .26** .45**

Importance: female Year 12Female Year 12

R2 = 0.2714

-0.15

-0.05

0.05

0.15

0.25

0.35

0.45

0.55

4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00 6.50 7.00 7.50 8.00 8.50 9.00

Value importance

Lif

e sa

tisf

acti

on

by

succ

ess

(r)

HedonismStimulation

Friends

Universalism

Curious

Self-sufficient

Being admired Love

Influence

Wealth

Sex

Religion

Practical work

Benevolence

Courage

Safe

Competent

Health

Conformity

Conscientiousness

Importance: female post schoolFemale post school

R2 = 0.3107

-0.05

0.05

0.15

0.25

0.35

0.45

0.55

4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00 6.50 7.00 7.50 8.00 8.50 9.00

Value importance

Lif

e sa

tisf

acti

on

by

succ

ess

(r)

Universalism

Being admired

Hedonism

Stimulation

Friends

Love

Being competent

Sex

Benevolence

Safe

Conformity

CourageConscientiousness

Self sufficientCurious

HealthWealthInfluence

Religion

Practical work

Importance: male Year 12Male Year 12

R2 = 0.0499

-0.05

0.05

0.15

0.25

0.35

0.45

0.55

4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00 6.50 7.00 7.50 8.00 8.50

Value importance

Lif

e sa

tisf

acti

on

by

succ

ess

(r)

Love

Being admired

Courage

Wealth

Friends

Influence

Benevolence

Competent

Safe

Universalism

Curious

Sex

Religion

Hedonism

Stimulation

Practical work

Conscientiousness

Self sufficientConformity

Health

Importance: male post schoolMale post school

R2 = 0.267

-0.05

0.05

0.15

0.25

0.35

0.45

0.55

4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00 6.50 7.00 7.50 8.00 8.50

Value importance

Lif

e sa

tisf

acti

on

by

succ

ess

(r)

Love

Friends

Competent

Curious

Influence

Being admired

Practical work

Self-sufficient

Universalism

Sex

Conformity

Conscientiousness

Wealth

Religion

Safe

Stimulation

Benevolence

Health

Courage

Hedonism

Pressure: female Year 12Female Year 12

R2 = 0.0889

-0.15

-0.05

0.05

0.15

0.25

0.35

0.45

0.55

2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00 6.50

Value pressure

Lif

e sa

tisf

acti

on

by

succ

ess

(r)

Competence

Health

Benevolence

Love

Practical work

Curious

Pressure: female post schoolFemale post school

R2 = 0.1196

-0.05

0.05

0.15

0.25

0.35

0.45

0.55

2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00

Value pressure

Lif

e sa

tisf

acti

on

by

succ

ess

(r)

Curious

Love

Practical work

Competent

Health

Benevolence

Pressure: male Year 12Male Year 12

R2 = 0.0012

-0.05

0.05

0.15

0.25

0.35

0.45

0.55

2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00

Value pressure

Lif

e sa

tisf

acti

on

by

succ

ess

(r)

Competent

Benevolence

HealthPractical work

Curious

Love

Pressure: male post schoolMale post school

R2 = 0.2098

-0.05

0.05

0.15

0.25

0.35

0.45

0.55

2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00

Value pressure

Lif

e sa

tisf

acti

on

by

succ

ess

(r)

Curious

Practical work

Competence

LoveHealth

Benevolence

What really makes them happy?

• No clear intrinsic/extrinsic divide• Power, sexual desirability, physical fitness,

achievement, stimulation are no less rewarding than universalism, love

• Girls’ well-being linked to success at ‘Having genuine and close friends’

• Boys’ well-being depends on leadership• Success at socially desirable, pressured

values linked with well-being post-school

Closing thoughts …

• A broad, comprehensive measure of ‘universal’ values is usefulfor identifying valued life directions among adolescentsand young adults

• What people tell youis importantis not always linkedto their well-being …