Adolescents’ future expectations are bound to the cultural, economic, and political context in which they live. In the last decade, national youth unemployment rates increased in Southern European countries. This could trigger a decrease in personal future expectations. Future expectations have been defined as beliefs about the probability that a specific event will occur in the future [1] , and they are important predictors of future behavior and development [2]. Previous research has shown the association between future expectations and higher engagement, persistence to complete tasks, and better academic performance [3]. Future expectations are particularly relevant to people in a transitional period of their development, as a way to prepare for the future [4] , and are conceived as a positive path to adulthood [5].

Although works about this are not abundant in the literature, some studies begin to analyze the relation between future expectations and the presence of psychopathology during adolescence. Optimism and hope for a positive future can serve as protective factors [6] and are also related to resilience, social adjustment, and well-being. Optimism, consistently linked to future orientation, has been associated negatively with depressive symptoms and hopelessness among adolescents [7]. Future-oriented individuals probably consider the consequences of their present actions when making decisions, and people with a more optimistic view of their future are generally more sensitive to the future consequences of their current behavior [8]. As a result, individuals who express higher levels of orientation towards the future are less likely to get involved in behavior problems because these behaviors may be risking their future. Nurmi (1991) [9] pointed out that adolescents who are less oriented towards the future could present behavior problems such as delinquency, problems at school or drug use.

On another hand, a particularly important aspect in the formation of adolescents’ future expectations is the possible selves. The theory of possible selves [10] is a useful way to examine the importance of the optimistic future and its impact on mental health. This theory suggests that adolescents’ mental health is influenced by their capacity to imagine themselves as different possible selves in the future. This capacity will facilitate the formation of goals and personal dreams, positively influencing the optimistic future and linking this cognitive process to better mental health in the present. For instance, in a study with a sample of Chinese children and adolescents affected by HIV/AIDS, future orientation fully mediated the relationship between traumatic events and their mental health (i.e., depression, loneliness, self-esteem) [11]. In the same vein, other authors [12] [13] examined a sample of young people living in foster care and found that the more future-oriented youths had significantly lower levels of internalizing symptomatology (such as anxiety or depressive symptoms) as well as fewer externalizing problems (such as delinquency or aggression). In addition, studies such as those of Robbins and Bryan (2004) [14] found that future orientation was a protective factor for adolescents who had a high level of impulsivity. Boys and girls with high impulsiveness and negative future orientation showed the highest levels of risk behavior.

Although early adolescents tend to have positive future expectations [15] , the current research examines whether the presence of psychopathology could be a risk factor for a positive view to the future. The study aims to: 1) analyze whether the future expectations of adolescents with psychopathological problems differ from those of others without problems (categorical model of mental disorder: clinical vs. normative group); 2) analyze the predictive capacity of psychopathological problems on adolescents’ future expectations (dimensional model).

In relation to these overall aims, we tested the following hypotheses: 1) participants with higher levels of psychopathological problems (clinical range) have lower future expectations; 2) certain psychopathological dimensions predict part of the variability of the future expectations in early adolescence.

The sample was composed of 781 adolescents from 11 secondary schools (1^st grade of Secondary Education in Spain). They were schools with middle and middle-low socioeconomic status. Of all these participants, 402 were male (51.5%) and 379 were female (48.5%), aged between 11 and 15. The mean age was 12.37 (SD = 0.66).

Table 1 shows the descriptive statistics (range, means, and standard deviations) of the variables of the study.

In addition to these quantitative scores, for each dimension of the YSR, participants were classified into two groups according to whether they fell within the clinical group (manifesting more problems) or in the normative group (presenting fewer problems). Adolescents in the clinical group scored one Standard Deviation above the mean. In our case, this included about 15% of the participants (N = 118 in the clinical group and N = 663 in the normative group).

In this work, we analyzed the future expectations and emotional and behavioral problems of early adolescents during the current financial crisis. A first conclusion is that Spanish adolescents with higher levels of psychopathological problems had lower future expectations (1^st hypothesis), as prior researchers have shown in other countries [14] [15] [16] [17]. The direction of the relations between these two variables is not clear. Chen and Vazsonyi (2013) [18] provide evidence that the future orientation of the teenagers is negatively associated with behavior problems. Youngsters with pessimistic future expectations are more vulnerable to engage in behavioral problems [19].

Adolescent psychopathology can be a risk factor for a positive view to the future: our results show that certain psychopathological dimensions (anxious/depressed, delinquent behavior, thought problems, social problems) predict some variability of the future expectations in early adolescence (2^nd hypothesis). Van Beek, Berghuis, Kerkhof, and Beekman (2011) [20] have reported that suicidal patients lack the ability to envision a positive future. A high tendency toward positive future thinking seems to protect people from suicide.

This work has some clinical implications. Future expectations are an important protective factor for healthy development in adolescence because thinking about the future motivates everyday behavior and influences choices, decisions, and future activities. This is relevant now, when depression is increasing among young people due to the lack of expectations, coinciding with the economic crisis [21].

Other authors show the key role of future expectations as a motor and drive for achievement and personal adjustment [22]. This paper stresses the need for preventive intervention, and at early ages, on cognitive processes related to the future temporal perspective in cases of psychopathological problems. This type of intervention is expected to lead to adjustment and future psychological development (e.g., preventing higher levels of depression and suicide).

Another clinical implication is that improving positive future expectations will increase adherence to a psychological treatment program during adolescence. Individuals oriented toward the present tend to develop short-term goals, focusing on immediate gratification; forward-looking people develop more skills of planning and are focused on long-term goals [23]. The latter are, therefore, more protected against risk behavior; that is, they anticipate the obstacles they may encounter on the pathway to success [24].

The main limitation of this study is the use of self-reports and questionnaires as the only method of data collection. However, the use of questionnaires has obvious advantages, as validated and standardized tests allow for the comparison between subjects.

Taking into account the results obtained in this study, it is necessary to point out the important role of future expectations when it comes to preventing future problems of personal adjustment in adolescence, mainly emotional and behavioral problems.

Those adolescents who show high future expectations and have the skills to plan and set goals tend to postpone their rewards over time and to correctly guide their behavior to achieve them. However, there are boys and girls who, instead of setting long-term goals, try to satisfy immediate goals, thus acting in the present without thinking about the possible consequences that their actions may have in the future. Examples of this can be observed in acts of delinquency, drug use, early pregnancy, school dropout, among others. Many of the adolescents who suffer these problems are in situation of disadvantage and need even more of a specific intervention.

Verdugo, L. and Sánchez-Sandoval, Y. (2018) Predictive Capacity of Psychopathological Symptoms for Spanish Adolescents’ Future Expectations. Open Access Library Journal, 5: e4546. https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1104546

Code Age: ………… Boy Girl

EEFA

We would like to know how you think your future will be. Imagine yourself in a time, when few years pass, and answer the following questions.

How likely do you think the following things happen to you? Mark with an X.

A continuación se enumeran diversas frases que describen algunas conductas. En cada frase describe lo que a ti te pasa ahora o durante los últimos 6 meses rodeando con un círculo el 2 si lo que dice es muy cierto o te ocurre frecuentemente; el 1 si la frase es algo cierta o te sucede a veces; y el 0 si no es cierta.

0 = No es verdad 1 = Algo verdadero o verdad a medias 2 = Muy verdadero o frecuentemente es verdad

Por favor, escribe a continuación cualquier otra cosa

que describa tus sentimientos, conductas o intereses:

ASEGURATE DE QUE HAS CONTESTADO A TODAS LAS PREGUNTAS