Becoming who they want to be: A cross-national examination of value-behavior concordance and mindfulness in adolescence* |
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| Authors: | Michael T. Warren Laura Wray-Lake Amy K. Syvertsen |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Institute for the Study of Human Flourishing, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA;2. Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA;3. Search Institute, Minneapolis, MN, USA |
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| Abstract: | Aristotle, Shakespeare, and Gandhi suggested the good life involves living according to one’s values, yet little research has examined the role of value-behavior concordance (VBC) in adolescence. Mindfulness may develop during adolescence and foster VBC via heightened awareness of one’s values and behaviors. We employed data from 5877 adolescents (M age = 17.53, SD = 3.67; 53% female) from seven countries (Australia, Canada, India, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and United States), and examined invariance of links involving age, mindfulness, VBC, and meaning. In all countries, older adolescents were more mindful than younger adolescents, and higher levels of mindfulness were positively linked to VBC. Further, in six countries mindfulness was linked to meaning, in part, through VBC, suggesting a generalizable process where mindful youth experience greater meaning because they live according to their values. As evidence suggests mindfulness can be cultivated through meditation, mindfulness may be a trainable skill that helps young people become who they want to be. |
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| Keywords: | Mindfulness values positive youth development cross-national meaning |
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