Utilizing a relational developmental systems approach to examining character strengths, this article examines the connection between adolescents’ intentional self-regulation (ISR) with youth sense of purpose, using data from a large-scale evaluation of a youth development program in Scotland. Data were triangulated from multiple sources, including youth surveys and interviews as well as teacher assessments. Surveys were collected from 783 S2 (approximately seventh grade) pupils; teacher survey data were collected for 732 of these pupils. Telephone interviews were conducted with a subset of 29 adolescents. The data were analyzed with an innovative mixed-methods technique that allows qualitative interview data to underscore consistencies and disconnects with quantitative findings from both teacher and adolescent surveys. Results demonstrate a strong connection between ISR and purpose and many consistencies across measures of purpose.

本文利用关系发展系统的方法来检验性格优势，并使用来自苏格兰青少年发展计划的大规模评估数据，研究了青少年的有意识自我调节（ISR）与青少年的目标意识之间的联系。数据来自多个来源，包括青年调查和访谈以及教师评估。从783名S2（大约七年级）学生中收集了调查问卷；收集了732名学生的教师调查数据。对29名青少年进行了电话采访。使用创新的混合方法技术对数据进行了分析，该技术可以使定性访谈数据强调一致性，并与教师和青少年调查的定量结果脱节。