Cohort differences in the development of civic engagement during adolescence. Issue 4 (26th February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Grütter, Jeanine; Buchmann, Marlis
• Is Part Of: Child development. Volume 93:Issue 4(2022)
• Page Start: e427
• Page End: e445
• Publication Date: 2022-02-26
• Subjects: adolescence -- civic engagement -- cohort differences; Child development -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child Development -- Periodicals; Child Development; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Pedicatrics; 305.231
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13743
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-3920

Abstract

Abstract: Investigating whether changing societal circumstances have altered the development of civic engagement, this study compared developmental changes from mid‐ to late adolescence (i.e., age 15–18) across two cohorts of representative Swiss samples (born in 1991, N = 1258, Mage T1 = 15.30, 54% female, 33% migration background representing diverse ethnicities; born in 2000, N = 930, Mage T1 = 15.32, 51% female; 33% migration background). Findings from latent multigroup models revealed similar levels in attitudes about social justice in both cohorts, remaining stable over time. Adolescents reported lower levels of political efficacy and informal helping in the cohort born in 2000. Both aspects slightly increased during adolescence. Informal helping had a steeper increase in the 1991 compared to the 2000 cohort, suggesting developmental differences between cohorts.