A Grounded Theory Approach to Educational Aspirations of Youth in North Cyprus: Personal, Parental, and Community-Related Factors on a Divided Island

Abstract

Future aspirations play a definitive role in adolescents' developmental outcomes. This research aims to explore the factors involved in building the educational aspirations of high school students in North Cyprus. The study is designed as grounded theory on the contextual framework of the ecological systems model and integrative theory. The research design involves multiple data sources including 101 semi-structured interviews with students, teachers, and school administrators of high schools, ministerial officials, and political leaders of North Cyprus. The findings illuminate the role of parental, personal, and community-related factors that influence students' aspirations. The results reveal that these factors are intertwined, some of which lead to the emergence of other factors. Identifying these relationships has implications for school administrators, teachers, and policymakers, enabling them to design stimulating school settings and eliminate the adverse effects of these factors to encourage students to develop their future aspirations.