menu_open Columnists
We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Rethinking Youth Success: What Truly Predicts Teen Achievement

17 0
previous day

The narrow definition of success for adolescents has persisted and pressured teenagers for decades. Good test results, high grades, and admission to reputable colleges have been considered the ultimate signs of success in youth. Since children enroll in school, their achievements are quantified in terms of figures on report cards and scores on standardized tests. Although these measures provide a perspective of academic aptitude, they do not always reflect the multivariate and multidimensional nature of success.

Achievements go beyond academic success in today’s world. They also consist of emotional health, self-development, pursuing passions, and developing good relationships. A teenager can be good at math or science but fail to be resilient, curious, or sociable, which are vital traits in adult life. We need to expand our thinking to be able to see what actually predicts teen achievement beyond numbers on their report cards. Sociologists and parenting experts alike express that grades do not tell us much about which teens will thrive in adulthood. In fact, self-control, optimism, and persistence are traits that count much more.

There is a tendency to believe that one will be successful in the future because of good academic performance, and studies have proven otherwise. In truth, many students with high grades fail to develop healthy coping habits. Although academic performance is crucial, it gives us only a........

© Psychology Today