Navigating the teenage years: What do we know about how adolescents find meaning and purpose?

The concept of life meaning and purpose is inherently developmentally referenced. We know that for adults, life meaning is indicated by a driving purpose that unifies different aspects of life, is consistent over time, and adds meaning or value to others. Adolescents may or may not have a clear sense of meaning and purpose, and by virtue of their developmental stage, are more likely to be in a search for such knowledge/experience. Searches for meaning carry risks and benefits, particularly at a stage where substantial transitions occur, including movement into upper level schools, new performance expectations, the onset of puberty, ‘dating’ and related dyadic relationships, and occupational change. In this chapter we explore developmental theory and research on adolescent meaning/purpose in life (MIL/PIL) and we focus on the role of parents and peers in integrating adolescent stories to make meaning across these transitions.