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Future Orientation and Latinx Adolescent Development: A Scoping Review

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Abstract

Future orientation is a key developmental task, and studies demonstrate that future-oriented adolescents display better adjustment. However, the state of evidence regarding the influence of future orientation within Latinx adolescent development specifically as well as the ways in which future orientation have been measured in studies of Latinx adolescents is unknown. A scoping review was conducted to a) assess how future orientation constructs have been operationalized in studies of Latinx youth and b) examine the effects of future orientation constructs in their academic achievement, risk behavior engagement, mental health, and health-promotive behaviors. The search yielded 2700 records, and 31 met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed for full-text review. The studies examined dimensions of future orientation via a wide range of constructs as opposed to global future orientation. Additionally, future orientation constructs were promotive factors, buffers of risk, and key mechanisms in associations between Latinx youth’s cultural milieu and adjustment. This review underscores the need for greater consensus in the conceptualization of future orientation to improve its measurement, further research to discern the effects of future orientation constructs over the course of Latinx adolescents’ development, as well as studies that examine how future orientation constructs influence adjustment within their unique sociocultural contexts.

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  1. Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, The University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Avenue, 85724, Tucson, AZ, United States

    Kiera Coulter, Velia L. Nuño & Scott Carvajal

  2. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences, The University of Arizona, 650 N Park Avenue, 85721, Tucson, AZ, United States

    Melissa Y. Delgado & Rayni Thomas

  3. College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, Arizona State University, 411 N. Central Ave, 85004, Phoenix, AZ, United States

    Rajni L. Nair

  4. Arizona Health Sciences Library, The University of Arizona, 1510 E. University Blvd, 85724, Tucson, AZ, United States

    Deborah Jean McClelland

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KC led the conceptualization of the literature review, collaborated in the development of the search strategy, participated in the title/abstract screening and full-text review, led synthesizing the studies’ findings, and led drafting of the manuscript; MYD and RLN participated in the design of the literature review, assisted with evaluating the studies’ findings and helped draft the manuscript; DJM led the design of the search strategy and conducted the literature search within the selected databases; RT collaborated in the title/abstract screening and full-text revie, helped with evaluating the studies’ findings, and reviewed drafts of the manuscript ; VLN collaborated in the design of the literature review and reviewed drafts of the manuscript; SC collaborated in the design of the literature review. All authors reviewed and approved of the final manuscript.

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Coulter, K., Delgado, M.Y., Nair, R.L. et al. Future Orientation and Latinx Adolescent Development: A Scoping Review. Adolescent Res Rev 8, 195–218 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-022-00190-9

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