Students’ Perspectives Regarding Adolescence and Their Motivation for Choosing the Child and Youth Care Track

Abstract In this study, we examined Child and Youth Care (CYC) students' retrospective perceptions of their adolescence, including communication with their parents, peer relationships, involvement in risk-taking behavior, and identity-exploration experiences, compared to those of students in the teacher-training track. Moreover, we examined a model, in which the association between these perceptions and the students' choice of the CYC track is mediated by extrinsic motives. The sample included 158 students, 92 of them in the CYC track and 66 in the teacher-training track. The CYC students reported lower levels of communication with their parents and higher levels of positive peer relationships, involvement in risk-taking behavior and identity-exploration experiences during adolescence. A significant difference was found in motives for choice of profession: CYC students reported lower levels of extrinsic motivation than the student-teachers. The model indicated that the association between communication with parents and choice of CYC studies was mediated by involvement in risk-taking behavior and extrinsic motives, while the association between peer relationships and choice of CYC studies was mediated by identity-exploration experiences and extrinsic motives. The findings have practical implications for student training, suggesting that emphasis be placed on the continuous and consistent connection between personal experiences and professional development—for the benefit of both CYC students and their target population: at-risk children and youth.