Better self-concept, better future choices? Behavioral and neural changes after a naturalistic self-concept training program for adolescents

L P E Van Der Aar,E A Crone,A I Becht,S Peters

doi:10.3758/s13415-021-00946-1

L P E Van Der Aar, E A Crone + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-021-00946-1

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Abstract

A large number of adolescents experience difficulty when choosing a suitable higher education program that matches their self-views. Stimulating self-concept development could help adolescents to increase their chances of finding a suitable major. We addressed this issue by examining the effects of a naturalistic self-concept training within a gap year context on behavioral and neural correlates of self-evaluations, as well as the long-term effects for future educational decision-making. In total, 38 adolescents/young adults (ages 16-24 years) participated in a 4-wave longitudinal study, with lab visits before, during, and after the training, including behavioral assessments and fMRI. During fMRI-scanning, they rated themselves on positive and negative traits in academic, (pro)social, and physical domains, and additionally filled out questionnaires related to self-esteem and self-concept clarity. Results showed that the positivity of domain-specific self-evaluations, self-esteem, and self-concept clarity increased during the training. Second, participants with lower medial PFC activity during self-evaluation before training showed larger self-esteem increases over the year. Moreover, mPFC activity increased after training for the evaluation of positive but not negative traits. Furthermore, individual differences in the rate of change (slope) in self-concept clarity and social self-evaluations positively predicted social adjustment to college and academic performance 6 months after training. Together, these findings suggest that self-concept can be modulated in late adolescents, with an important role of the medial PFC in relation to enhanced positive self-evaluations, and self-concept clarity as a predictor of future educational outcomes.

Highlights

Adolescence is a period in life during which the ability for self-reflection is still developing (Sebastian et al, 2008).How adolescents view and evaluate themselves can play an important role in various life outcomes
In a recent study, we showed that the overall evaluation of the self and the clarity of self-beliefs(self-concept clarity) were significantly lower in adolescents who experienced difficulties with educational decision-making compared with peers who already successfully
In terms of neural activity, we focused on changes in the medial PFC, precuneus, and temporal-parietal junction (TPJ) as three regions of interest that were previously shown to play an important role in self-evaluation(Pfeifer & Peake, 2012)

Summary

Introduction

Adolescence is a period in life during which the ability for self-reflection is still developing (Sebastian et al, 2008).How adolescents view and evaluate themselves can play an important role in various life outcomes. Many studies have demonstrated positive relations between the positivity of self-evaluations and general well-being, mental health, as well as motivation and achievement in school (Marsh & Martin, 2011; Orth et al, 2012). Within this school domain, the transition into higher education is an important life change that almost all adolescents have to face but that remains relatively understudied. In a recent study, we showed that the overall evaluation of the self (self-esteem) and the clarity of self-beliefs(self-concept clarity) were significantly lower in adolescents who experienced difficulties with educational decision-making compared with peers who already successfully

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