ABSTRACT This study investigated the development of educational aspirations (EAs) among Chinese youth (n = 2228, 48.61% female, 87.66% Han, M age_2010 = 11.48 years) for 6 years. Five latent classes of EA trajectories were identified.… Click to show full abstract
ABSTRACT This study investigated the development of educational aspirations (EAs) among Chinese youth (n = 2228, 48.61% female, 87.66% Han, M age_2010 = 11.48 years) for 6 years. Five latent classes of EA trajectories were identified. They varied greatly during early adolescence but converged around an associate degree in middle adolescence and beyond and demonstrated high rank‐order stability across the period of study. High academic performance and academic competence (adolescent‐reported) and educational involvement, academic expectations, and family socioeconomic status (parent‐reported) predicted loftier EA trajectories. Consistent EA beyond an associate degree predicted a greater probability of college enrollment in emerging adulthood. Findings are interpreted with respect to China's sociocultural context, a society characterized by high collectivism and regard for academic achievements.
Journal Title: Child Development
Year Published: 2025
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