Purpose and Perceptions of Family Social Location Among Rural Youth

Purpose is a concept receiving increasing attention in the developmental sciences. Making sense of your place in the world and finding meaning—a process fundamental to purpose—support positive development in adolescence and beyond. Using traditional ethnographic strategies, this article examines the development of purpose among a small group of youth growing up in Wallowa County, Oregon. Specifically, we emphasize the differing ways that young people from high, average, and low purpose groups make sense of themselves and their experiences within the context of rural life. We find that how young people make sense of their family’s social location has critical implications for purpose development.