Understanding how youth develop a purpose: A qualitative study among Chinese emerging adults

Abstract

Understanding how youth develop a purpose in life could provide guidance for cultivating a positive purpose. This study explored this topic in a Chinese cultural context using in-depth interviews of 41 participants. Furthermore, we identified factors that are particularly important to a beyond-the-self purpose by comparing this with a self-oriented purpose. The findings revealed three pathways to purpose: proactive processes, involving active effort characterized by self-exploration and deepened self-knowledge; transformative processes, characterized by negative or positive major transformative life events; and reactive processes, involving the formation of purpose through external cultural and personal influences. Additionally, the findings indicate that compassion, gratitude, and family support are of particular importance for the development of a beyond-the-self purpose. These findings extend the existing theories and findings of purpose development; consequently, could help develop purpose-fostering interventions that aim to cultivate a positive purpose among youth.