Goal Striving in Adolescents With and Without Emotional and Behavioral Disturbances Attending Different School Types

Abstract

Abstract. Adolescents with emotional and behavioral disturbances (EBD) and adolescents attending special schools often show poor academic competence and problems with making career choices. In this context, the processes of goal-striving have not been assessed systematically even though they are related to success and failure in goal attainment ( Heckhausen, Wrosch, & Schulz, 2010 ). Thus, the present longitudinal study compared the levels of domain-specific goal engagement (actively pursuing a goal) and goal disengagement (i. e., postponing goals) and the effects of goal engagement on the attainment of academic competence and career choice of adolescents with and without EBD attending regular versus special schools. Adolescents with EBD reported lower levels of goal engagement and higher levels of goal postponement than adolescents without EBD. For all groups of adolescents, goal engagement at the first measurement predicted stronger progress in the perceived attainment of academic competence at the 1-year follow-up. Conclusions are drawn on how to promote the successful development of students with EBD from regular or special schools.