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Visions about future: a new scale assessing optimism, pessimism, and hope in adolescents

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Abstract

This article reports the development and psychometric properties of visions about future (VAF), an instrument assessing hope, optimism, and pessimism. Three different studies involving Italian adolescents were conducted. With the first study 22 items were developed and the factor structure was verified. The second study, involving a second sample of adolescents, confirmed the instrument’s multidimensional structure and evaluated the convergent validity of VAF with self-report measures of hope, optimism, and pessimism. Moreover, it showed that VAF correlated with life satisfaction and career adaptability. The third study involved a third sample of adolescents and verified the measurement invariance across gender.

Résumé

Visions du futur: Une nouvelle échelle évaluant l’optimisme, le pessimisme et l’espoir des adolescents. Cet article rend compte du développement et des propriétés psychométriques de l’instrument Visions du Futur (VDF) qui évalue l’espoir, l’optimisme et le pessimisme. Trois études différentes impliquant des adolescents italiens ont été conduites auprès d’adolescents italiens. Dans la première étude, 22 items ont été développés et la structure factorielle a été vérifiée. La seconde étude, menée auprès d’un deuxième échantillon d’étudiants, a confirmé la structure multidimensionnelle de l’instrument et a évalué la validité convergente du VDF avec des mesures auto-reportées d’espoir, d’optimisme et de pessimisme. De plus, cette étude montre que le VDF corrèle avec la satisfaction de vie et l’adaptabilité de carrière. La troisième étude porte sur un troisième échantillon d’adolescents et vérifie l’invariance de la mesure selon le sexe.

Zusammenfassung

Visionen über die Zukunft: Eine neue Skala, die Optimismus, Pessimismus und Hoffnung in Jugendlichen misst. Dieser Artikel beschreibt die Entwicklung und die psychometrischen Eigenschaften der Visionen über die Zukunft (VAF), einem Instrument, welches Hoffnung, Optimismus und Pessimismus misst. Drei verschiedene Studien mit Italienischen Jugendlichen wurden durchgeführt. In der ersten Studie wurden 22 Items entwickelt, sowie die Faktorenstruktur belegt. In der zweiten Studie wurde anhand einer zweiten Gruppe von Jugendlichen die multidimensionale Struktur des Instruments bestätigt und die konvergente Validität der VAF anhand selbst-berichteter Messungen von Hoffnung, Optimismus und Pessimismus bestätigt. Zudem zeigte sich, dass VAF mit Lebenszufriedenheit und beruflicher Anpassungsfähigkeit korreliert. Die dritte Studie, ebenfalls mit einer Gruppe von italienischen Jugendlichen, bestätigte die Messinvarianz über die Geschlechter hinweg.

Resumen

Visiones Sobre el Futuro: Una Nueva Escala de Evaluación del Optimismo, Pesimismo y Esperanza en Adolescentes. Este artículo informa sobre el desarrollo y propiedades psicométricas de Visiones Sobre el Futuro (VAF), un instrumento de evaluación de la esperanza, el optimismo y el pesimismo. Para ello se realizaron tres estudios diferentes con adolescentes italianos. Con el primero se desarrollaron 22 ítems y se verificó el factor de estructura. El segundo estudio con una segunda muestra de adolescentes, confirmó la estructura multidimensional del instrumento y evaluó la validez de convergencia de VAF con medidas de auto-informe de la esperanza, el optimismo y el pesimismo. Por otra parte, se demostró que VAF correlaciona con la satisfacción con la vida y la capacidad de adaptación en la carrera profesional. El tercer estudio incluyó una tercera muestra de adolescentes y verificó la invariancia de medición a través del género.

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  1. Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padova, 35131, Padua, Italy

    Maria Cristina Ginevra, Teresa Maria Sgaramella, Lea Ferrari, Laura Nota, Sara Santilli & Salvatore Soresi

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  1. Maria Cristina Ginevra
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Correspondence to Maria Cristina Ginevra.

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Ginevra, M.C., Sgaramella, T.M., Ferrari, L. et al. Visions about future: a new scale assessing optimism, pessimism, and hope in adolescents. Int J Educ Vocat Guidance 17, 187–210 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-016-9324-z

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