The development of Self-knowledge and Identities is increasingly a target of research and intervention both in life designing and in studies on inclusive development. Attention in life designing is motivated by the need for self-constructing, designing and progressively building a personal life where career plays a central role in contexts that require understanding complexities and rapid changes. Similarly, in inclusive development, concepts such as Self-Awareness and Social Awareness are considered key components for navigating interpersonal challenges in everyday life and adapting flexibly to situational demands (Malti & Noam, 2016). In both cases, authors respectively focus on activities promoting knowledge of personal characteristics and strengths, knowledge of contexts and systems of influences people experience in their daily life, together with how all this impacts their thinking and feelings.
This work aims to test the efficacy of a program focused on self and social awareness and on their meaning as career education goals. The program, with 4 sessions lasting 2 hours each, aims to foster key attitudes and resources for a positive and inclusive life designing.
Sixty adolescents have been involved in creating their own stories through reflection on their uniqueness, on people and systems of influences in their living contexts (MSCI; McMahon, Patton, & Watson, 2005). A control group was also involved.
Career adaptability resources, future goals, resilience and time perspective, hope and optimism were assessed at baseline, retest and follow up.
Although limited to some components, participants showed higher awareness and an increase in personal strengths and resources, more future goals and a wider range of job activities and professional roles imagined for their future.
These changes were particularly marked, and maintained at follow-up, in participants who at baseline were at risk for psychological resources thus underscoring the meaning of addressing Self and Social awareness in career education.
