Living adolescence in the new millennium: the meanings of values and self-image

The present work aims at: 1) investigating on which values the adolescents in our sample base their project of growing; 2) analysing the relationship between the system of values and the self-image. 
1130 students (M=538; F=588) living in Lombardy were involved. We used two instruments: a questionnaire for the assessment of the system of values and the Italian version of the Offer Self Image Questionnaire (OSIQ) (De Vito and coll., 1989). The analysis of frequencies showed that values referring to the Self and to the closest social context of the individuals were emphasized, in contrast with values referring to social commitment (IARD, 2000). We found significant relations between the two instruments, especially between family value vs. family Self (r=-0.27; p=.001), social commitment vs mastery of the external world (r=-0.31; p=.001) and social commitment vs. emotional tone (r=-0.24; p=.001). The analysis of univaried variance made it possibile to compare the values of adaptive and maladaptive subjects (Offer, 1981). Significant differences referring to the values family (F(1,878)=12.9; p=.002), happiness (F(1,599)=9.85; p=.021) and social commitment (F(1,107)=8.68; p=.015) – values to which maladaptive subjects seem to associate a different meaning – emerged.
Our results highlighted specific traits of adolescents in the new millennium (Zeira, Dekel, 2005), individuals facing the difficulties of growing within “affective” families and societies (Charmet, 2000; Caprara, Scabini, 2000; Rosci, 2003). Now we need to answer the following question: what do the mentioned values represent for the adolescents? References guiding their choices or needs that want to be satisfied?