Flourishing of Rural Adolescents in China: A Moderated Mediation Model of Social Capital and Intrinsic Motivation.

Sijia Guo,Diyang Qu

doi:10.3390/ijerph18158158

Abstract

Flourishing, an indicator which reflects one’s emotional status and ability to function, is an important antecedent for adolescents’ later psychological and physical development. This study aimed to shift the research focus on rural adolescents from a deficit-based orientation to a strength-based orientation by integrating the effects of individual and social factors. Altogether, 995 Chinese rural adolescents (569 boys and 426 girls, Mage = 12.56 years) completed a self-report questionnaire which included the Ego Identity Scale, Intrinsic Motivation Scale, Social Capital Scale and Flourishing Scale. The results indicate that: (1) ego identity exploration has a positive effect on rural adolescents’ flourishing; (2) intrinsic motivation has an indirect effect on the relationship between ego identity exploration and flourishing; and (3) social capital may moderate the indirect effect by attenuating the relationship between ego identity exploration and intrinsic motivation. The findings highlight the importance of constructing a more comprehensive framework by integrating individual and social perspectives to understand and foster the flourishing of rural adolescents. Meanwhile, it is necessary to incorporate the strengths of family, school and social organizations in order to enhance rural adolescents’ flourishing.

Highlights

Celeste León-Moreno and Adolescence is the transitional stage between childhood and adulthood
This study found that age was negatively associated with rural adolescents’ intrinsic motivation, and females showed a higher level of flourishing than males
This study extends our understanding of the relationship among ego identity exploration, social capital and intrinsic motivation from personal and societal perspectives

Summary

Introduction

Celeste León-Moreno and Adolescence is the transitional stage between childhood and adulthood. Children entering adolescence go through many challenges that may directly influence their mental health; for example, some may experience a higher level of depressive symptoms or anxiety [1]. Given the limited resources in rural areas, rural adolescents may live with fewer social services, barriers to healthcare access and worse educational facilities than those in urban areas [2,3]. Bilige et al [4] explored the severe school dropout phenomenon among rural adolescents and found that those vulnerable dropout adolescents had a relatively low level of interpersonal relationships and poor school adjustment. Other studies have pointed out that rural adolescents had poorer mental health and exhibited more delinquent behaviors than urban adolescents [5,6]

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