Patterns of Educational, Occupational, and Residential Aspirations of Rural Youth: The Role of Family, School, and Community*
Corresponding Author
Donghui Wang
Center for Population and Development Studies, School of Sociology and Population Studies, Renmin University of China
Search for more papers by this authorAnnelise DeJong Hagedorn
Department of Arts and Sciences, Blue Ridge Community College
Search for more papers by this authorDiane K. McLaughlin
Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education, The Pennsylvania State University
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Donghui Wang
Center for Population and Development Studies, School of Sociology and Population Studies, Renmin University of China
Search for more papers by this authorAnnelise DeJong Hagedorn
Department of Arts and Sciences, Blue Ridge Community College
Search for more papers by this authorDiane K. McLaughlin
Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education, The Pennsylvania State University
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Research on youth and adolescents increasingly suggests that youths' aspirations are complex, multidimensional constructs. This is especially the case for rural youth, who may face conflicting goals when considering their educational, occupational, and residential aspirations. However, few studies have explored rural youths' aspirations from a MultiDimensional perspective. Using data from the younger cohort of the Rural Youth Education study, this research applies latent class analysis to examine the heterogeneity of rural youths' educational, occupational, and residential aspirations. Five distinct subgroups of youth are identified (1) ambitious stayers (27 percent), (2) ambitious yet uncertain youth (28 percent), (3) typical achievers (13 percent), (4) unambitious movers (8 percent), and (5) typical stayers (24 percent). These five subgroups of youth differ in their aspirations, the certainty of those aspirations, and perceived relationships among aspirations. Subsequent multinomial analysis shows strong associations of family, school, and community characteristics with youths' aspirational profiles. Youth with better family economic resources and good parent–child relationships are more likely to fall into the “typical achiever” category, relative to the other four categories. Understanding the interrelationship of rural youth's aspirations can help policymakers and community members develop strategies to assist rural youth in achieving an array of future goals.
Conflict of Interest
The authors report no competing interests.
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