Assessing the Aspirations and Fears of Costa Rican Youth in Long-term Correctional Confinement
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Date
2020-05Author
Ochoa, Theresa A.
Ovares Fernández, Yanúa
Meza Rodríguez, Ana Estrella
de Mézerville López, Claire Marie
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This study used the Possible Selves Questionnaire (PSQ) with 30 incarcerated youth
in a long term juvenile correctional facility in Costa Rica. The PSQ is a self-administered
survey that measures a person’s aspirations and fears for the future and strategies to achieve
who they wish to become and avoid becoming. Results showed that while participants reported
having Expected and Feared Selves, they struggled to identify concrete strategies to reach their
goals. This vulnerable, incarcerated, population faces a variety of social challenges that may
hinder their ability to avoid the behavior that led to their initial incarceration once they are
released from correctional confinement. Limitations of using the PSQ with Costa Rican youth
are also discussed.