Profiles of hope: How clusters of hope relate to school variables

Abstract

In a diverse sample of 297 adolescents, four clusters based on the agency and pathways subscales of the Children's Hope Scale were derived via cluster analysis: high hopers (n=105), high agency thinkers (n=73), high pathway thinkers (n=57), and low hopers (n=62). We examined differences among clusters on psychological (consideration of future consequences, perceived life chances, perceived stress, and self-esteem) and educational constructs (academic self-concept, academic investment, and self-reported academic achievement). We also examined differences among hope clusters by sex, grade, and socioeconomic status. Results indicated that (a) the hope clusters derived were theoretically consistent with hope theory, (b) there were differences in the demographic makeup of the hope clusters with effect sizes ranging from small to medium, (c) students with different hope profiles differed on the outcome variables with about 50% of the effect sizes ranging from medium to large, and (d) high hopers and high agency thinkers had the most adaptive outcomes. The findings suggest that hope may be a useful variable for determining academic and psychological risk as well as a potential avenue for intervention in adolescence.