Educational Aspirations and Expectations of Adolescents in Rural China: Determinants, Mental Health and Academic Outcomes

Educational aspirations and expectations of adolescents have implications for educational and psychological outcomes. This study aimed to determine factors associated with educational aspiration–expectation discrepancies and to examine the associations between the discrepancies and psychological and academic outcomes in rural left-behind children and non-left-behind children aged 14–16 in mainland China. Cross-sectional data from a self-report survey were collected in 2020 among 606 rural students (mean age = 14.85 years) in two public middle schools in Songzi county, Hubei Province. Participants filled in questionnaires measuring their socio-demographic information, educational aspirations and expectations, academic performance, parental and friends’ aspirations, academic self-perception, academic self-regulation, depression, and self-esteem. Results showed that more than half of the participants reported that they felt they were not likely to attain the level of education to which they aspired. Parental migration, academic performance, mother’s educational aspirations for children, and close friends’ educational aspirations were the main factors associated with students’ educational aspiration–expectation discrepancies. Both left-behind children and non-left-behind children whose aspirations exceed expectations were more likely to report lower self-esteem, higher depression, lower academic self-perception, and poorer self-regulation than those without a discrepancy. These findings have implications for families, schools, and policymakers through informing the development of interventions that target positive development in rural youth.

A Comparative Study on Educational Aspiration and Parental Encouragement among Rural and Urban High School Children

Adolescence is the time of transition from childhood dependence to early adulthood freedom and responsibility. Educational aspiration is explained as a psychological construct, which reflects a cognitive type of motivation of the individual. Educational aspiration reflects educational goals an individual set for himself/herself. Parental encouragement is the inspiration or extra-boosting given by the parents to the children for their active involvement in academic life. The present study was conducted in rural and urban areas of Hisar and Fatehabad district of Haryana state. The sample of study included 120 respondents from Hisar and 120 from Fatehabad district, thus total sample comprised of 240 respondents. Educational Aspiration Scale by Sharma and Gupta (2015) was used to assess educational aspiration and Parental Encouragement Scale by Sharma (1997) was used to assess parental encouragement of students. The results of study revealed that majority of respondents belonged to moderate category of educational aspirations and majority of respondents perceived moderate level of parental encouragement. There were significant differences in educational aspirations and parental encouragement of children from rural and urban area. In urban area, respondents had significantly greater educational aspiration and parental encouragement as compared to respondents from rural area.

Tribal Students and Educational Aspiration: A Sociological Investigation of Tribal School in Odisha

Bourdieu (1986) had shown, how a person can develop ‘capital through social interactions’ and later Sen (1992) applied Bourdieu’s concept of ‘ capitals’ in ‘ capabilities’ (Hart, 2012, pp. 52–62); both emphasized on education, aspiration and social justice. Education and aspiration are instrumental in bringing change particularly for the backwards especially minorities, Dalits and Scheduled Tribes and others. Schooling and raising students’ aspiration are the crux because students are the most significant fraction of developing human capital in a developing country like India. They are the future resources for progress and development of entire nation. Their aspiration counts a lot while reviewing the demographic dividend of the country at present; the youth population of the country is 654 million. Education Commissioner C. S. Kothari (1964) remarked, ‘Future of this country lies in the classroom’ (National Council of Educational Research and Training, 1970, pp. 13–36); educational aspiration of the youth and meeting this aspiration with right kind of opportunity facilitates them sure progress and putting India in a newer height in global competitiveness. So, student’s aspiration is significant subject to study. The term ‘aspiration’ is one which is often used synonymously with goals, ambitions, objectives, purposes, dreams, plans, cravings or aims. It is typical, everybody aspires in everyday and aspirations are driving force behind a person’s behaviour to do more and be more than he or she presently is. ‘We may know what we are, but we cannot know for certain what we can be’ (Quaglia, 1989, pp. 7–9). It is a craving for high achievement in life. It is a crucial aspect of intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivation to a person. Ordinarily, development of aspiration is influenced by a number of factors. The significant factors that influence are culture, family environment and socio-economic status, locality of residence, teaching commitment and others.

What Money Can’t Buy: Educational Aspirations and International Migration in Ecuador

This article studies how educational aspirations of children are shaped in Biblián, Ecuador, a traditional sending country. Data sources were a multi-level survey and semi-structured interviews that were analysed using logistic regression and thematic analysis, respectively. Several theoretical relationships are confirmed: the household socioeconomic status, caregiver’s educational aspirations and age are the most important variables that predict children educational aspirations. Child migratory dreams and the absence of the father or the mother only predict the educational aspiration of getting a high school degree, but do not predict the aspiration of a graduate degree. Thematic analysis suggests that, besides seeing education as a means to have higher incomes, mothers perceive it as a sign of social status and assign it an intrinsic value.

Educational aspiration mismatch and depressive symptomatology among Taiwanese mother-child dyads

Background International studies emphasize the importance of depression for women and adolescents. Yet few researchers have used family-based surveys to explore depressive symptomatology of mother-adolescent dyads, and less is known about this aspect in Asian community where education is highly valued. The present study builds upon an inter-generational framework by investigating the effect of educational aspiration mismatch on depressive symptomatology in mother-child dyads. Methods A total of 1108 Taiwanese mother-child dyads were surveyed when the child was 13 years old, and followed up to two years later. Depressive symptomatology is measured by Symptom Checklist-90 Revised for both mother and child. Comparisons of mother and child's educational aspiration are categorized into three groups: mothers' aspirations are equal to, lower, or higher than their children. Results Results from multivariate logistic regression shows that, when mother's education aspiration is higher than that of her child, both mother and child have lowered risks of being depressed (mothers: AOR = 0.60, p < 0.1; children: AOR= 0.42, p < 0.05). On the other hand, children whose mothers' educational level are higher (senior /vocational high school: AOR =1.42, p < 0.1; college and above: AOR =1.81, p < 0.01) and whose mothers emphasize academic achievement (AOR =1.77, p < 0.1) are at greater risks than those without. Discussions: The results point to the protective role of mother's higher level of education aspiration than the child, although mothers who emphasize academic achievement seem to increase children's depressive symptomatology. Future interventions that aim to promote mental health of adolescents and parents should take the value attributed to education, and the comparison between parental and children's self-aspirations into consideration. Key messages Mother and her child lower risks of being depressed when mother’s educational aspiration is higher than that of her child's. Child increases risks of being depressed when his/her mother emphasizes academic achievement.