Future Expectations in Adolescents: Effects of Family Communication and Perceived Social Support

Abstract

Adolescence is a critical stage for developing life plans and forming future expectations, during which proximal relational resources, such as family communication and perceived social support, may influence adolescents’ academic and personal trajectories. The present study examined the effects of perceived social support and family communication on future expectations among Peruvian adolescents. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 300 secondary school students from a public school in southern Peru. Participants completed the Family Communication Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Future Expectations Scale for Adolescents. Data were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling. The structural model showed good fit to the data (χ²(18) = 30.128, p = .036; CFI = 0.983; TLI = 0.974; RMSEA = 0.047; SRMR = 0.032). Perceived social support (β = 0.384, p < .001) and family communication (β = 0.145, p = .050) showed positive direct effects on future expectations, explaining 24% of the variance (R² = .24). These findings show that greater perceived social support and stronger family communication are linked to more optimistic future expectations, emphasizing the role of family and social environments in adolescents’ academic and personal development during school years.