Students experience many developmental changes as they experience adolescence. They begin to examine their identities in relation to others and often question their original values and beliefs that have been guiding their behavior. In fact, this susceptibility to peer influence can lead adolescents to engage in risky behavior rather than consider the future consequences of their actions. Despite the large body of literature that delineates peer influence and its effect on adolescent behavior, researchers have yet to examine the impact of high quality friendships on adolescents’ ability to resist to peer influence, and the following effects that this resistance to peer influence has on the youth’s identity and future consideration. Friendship quality was chosen as a moderating variable in the present study, as resistance to peer influence’s effect on identity and future outlook is believed to depend on whether or not the adolescent is in a high quality friendship. Specifically, the present study aims to answer the following research question: Does friendship quality moderate the effect of resistance to peer influence on identity and future outlook in adolescents after controlling for gender, socioeconomic status, and parental involvement in schooling? Many theories support the hypothesis that resistance to peer influence is associated with identity and future consideration, such as Social Comparison Theory, as well as theories associated with motivation. This study analyzed data collected as part of the NICHD–SECCYD comprehensive longitudinal study. Specifically, the effects of resistance to peer influence on identity and future consideration was analyzed in AMOS 22, using a multiple group path model with friendship quality as a moderator.

Vi har gjort en kvalitativ fallstudie på en skola och vårt syfte är att undersöka hur framtidstron och studiemotivationen ser ut hos elever i årskurs nio på en mångkulturell skola med lågt meritvärde. Våra frågeställningar är: vilka faktorer anser elever i årskurs nio på den valda skolan kan tänkas påverka deras framtidstro och studiemotivation? Hur ser sambandet ut mellan framtidstro och studiemotivation hos elever i årskurs nio på den valda skolan? Vad anser elever i årskurs nio på den valda skolan själva att man kan göra för att förbättra sin framtidstro och studiemotivation? Vi är inspirerade av fenomenologisk forskning och har en induktiv ansats. Empirin har vi samlat in genom kvalitativa halvstrukturerade intervjuer med åtta elever i årskurs nio. Vi bearbetade empirin genom att först transkribera intervjuerna, sedan sammanfattade vi varje intervju och letade efter teman utifrån våra frågeställningar. Därefter sammanförde vi de gemensamma nämnarna utifrån frågeställningarna och gjorde en sammanställning. Vi analyserade med hjälp av begreppet KASAM och dess komponenter hanterbarhet, begriplighet och meningsfullhet. Resultatet visade att alla informanterna var studiemotiverade och hade en god framtidstro. Det var mycket som kunde tänkas påverka deras motivation och framtidstro, bland annat familj, vänner, lärare och förebilder. Med hjälp av begreppet KASAM och dess komponenter kunde vi se ett samband mellan deras studiemotivation och framtidstro. Informanterna behöver förstå varför de studerar för att kunna känna studiemotivation (begriplighet). De behöver känna att de har de resurser som krävs för att nå de resultat de vill och de mål de har (hanterbarhet) och de behöver ett mål med studierna så att de känner att det är värt att investera i studierna (meningsfullhet). De kunskaper vi tycker är viktiga att ta med sig från vår fallstudie för att kunna arbeta här och nu med ungdomar i skolåldern är att förstå att skolresultaten hänger ihop med elevernas syn på framtiden. Även att tänka på att vardagen måste vara både begriplig, hanterbar och meningsfull för att ungdomen ska må bra och fungera. / We have performed a qualitative case study at a school of substandard merit. Our purpose was to examine to what ninth graders had a sense of confidence about their future success and academic motivation. The questions asked were: Which factors do the ninth graders deem influential for their own sense of confidence in future prospects, as well as what affects their academic motivation? What is the relationship between confidence in future success and academic motivation at the school? What do the students feel, can be done to improve their own beliefs about future prosperity as well as improve academic motivation? We have been inspired by phenomenological research and have used an inductive approach. We collected our data via semi structured qualitative interviews with eight ninth grade students. We processed the data by first transcribing the interviews, then we summarized each interview looking for key themes related to our original queries. Finally we consolidated the common denominators into a compilation. We did our analysis using the concept of KASAM, or ”sense of context”, as well as its' components, those being; manageability, comprehensibility, and relevance. The results revealed that all the informants were academically motivated and they each felt confident in their future outlook. There seemed to be a lot of factors that influenced both their motivation and their outlook, amongst these were family, friends, teachers, and roll models. Using the KASAM, or ”sense of context” concept, and its' components we could see a relationship between their academic motivation and their beliefs about their future. The informants first need to comprehend why they need to study, in order for them to feel a sense of educational motivation (comprehensibility). They need to feel that they have the resources needed to attain the desired results and goals that they have (manageability) and they need a goal with their studies so that they feel it is worth investing in the studies (relevance). The most important revelation that we have gleaned from our study and that we feel is of most value when working with school age youth in the here and now, is to understand how academic performance is directly related with the students  perception about their future. Even everyday life needs to be comprehensible, manageable, and have relevance, in order for youth to thrive and function.

Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is encouraged as a first step towards people planning for their future with the condition. Despite the proposed benefits of diagnosis, it is also widely recognised that Alzheimer’s disease can expose people to stigma. Therefore, this thesis explores the relationship between stigma and future outlook, from the perspective of people affected by early and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. In order to recognise the physicality of the condition and how psychological and social factors influence experiences, a biopsychosocial perspective is employed throughout. People with Alzheimer’s disease (n=15 people with late-onset, 7 people with early-onset) and their supporters (n=22) completed questionnaires about perceived stigma. This was followed by 14 interviews with a subsample of participants, which explored stigma and future outlook in more depth. Perceived stigma reporting across participants was low in the questionnaires; whereas interviews revealed higher levels of stigma with people discussing mixed, unpredictable reactions from a range of sources. Participants expressed awareness of the unpredictable nature of their futures with the condition. The subsequent lack of control was managed through focusing on ‘one day at a time’ and avoiding looking too far ahead. Across reflections on stigma and future outlook there was a deliberate focus on positive experiences for people affected by early and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The similar management of experiences across participants minimised possible age-based differences. These findings are supported by socioemotional selectivity theory, which suggests people are motivated to maintain positive emotional states when facing ‘time-limiting’ conditions irrespective of age. The research suggests people’s experiences of stigma and future outlook interact, with stigma-driven assumptions about the future affecting how people manage their daily lives. The avoidance of looking ahead suggests that policy which encourages future planning should consider its utility and explore ways of helping people to manage both exposure to stigma, and planning for the future, whilst focusing on daily living.

Text in German with summaries in German and English / In dieser Forschungsarbeit geht es um die empirisch-theologische Erforschung von Chancen, Grenzen und Perspektiven missionaler Café-Kirchen aus der Sicht von Verantwortlichen entsprechender Projekte. Dabei spielen Fragen nach Theologie, Ekklesiologie und gelebter Spiritualität ebenso eine Rolle wie die konkreten Erfahrungen. Auf Grundlage einer missiologischen Perspektive (missionale Kirche, Fresh Expressions of Church) und einer soziologischen Perspektive (Sinus-Milieustudie, Third Places), die den aktuellen Forschungsstand berücksichtigen, werden durch zwölf qualitative Experteninterviews empirische Daten erhoben, die mit der Grounded Theory nach Strauss & Corbin analysiert werden. Anschließend werden die empirischen Ergebnisse mit den theoretischen Reflexionen in Beziehung gesetzt und missiologisch reflektiert. Durch die Untersuchung konnte gestgestellt werden, dass missionale Café-Kirchen große Chancen beinhalten, das Evangelium in relevanter Weise zu leben und auch theologisch als Kirche im Vollsinn definiert zu werden. Gleichzeitig gibt es jedoch Grenzen und Herausforderungen, die bedacht werden sollten, wenn diese Café-Kirchen auch zukünftig ihre missionale Relevanz behalten wollen. / The subject of this research paper is the empirical-theological exploration of the opportunities, challenges and perspectives of missional café churches from the viewpoint of the leaders of corresponding projects. With that, questions regarding theology, ecclesiology and lived spirituality play just as much of a role as tangible experience. On the basis of a missional perspective (missional church, fresh expressions of church) and a sociological perspective (Sinus-Milieu study, third places), which take the current state of research into account, empirical data will be obtained from twelve qualitative expert interviews; this data will then be analyzed using the Grounded Theory from Strauss & Corbin. Subsequently, the empirical results will be related to the theoretical reflections and deliberated from a missional perspective. The research lead to the conclusion that missional café churches have a great deal of potential to live out the Gospel in a relevant manner and to be defined theologically as a church in its full sense. On the other hand however, there are limits and challenges that ought to be considered, if these café churches are to maintain their missional relevance in the future. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)