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    When Aspirations Exceed Expectations: Quixotic Hope Increases Depression among Students

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    Author
    Greenaway, KH; Frye, M; Cruwys, T
    Date
    2015-09-09
    Source Title
    PLoS One
    Publisher
    PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE
    University of Melbourne Author/s
    Greenaway, Katharine
    Affiliation
    Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Document Type
    Journal Article
    Citations
    Greenaway, K. H., Frye, M. & Cruwys, T. (2015). When Aspirations Exceed Expectations: Quixotic Hope Increases Depression among Students. PLOS ONE, 10 (9), https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0135477.
    Access Status
    Open Access
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/11343/256845
    DOI
    10.1371/journal.pone.0135477
    Abstract
    A paradox exists in modern schooling: students are simultaneously more positive about the future and more depressed than ever. We suggest that these two phenomena may be linked. Two studies demonstrated that students are more likely to be depressed when educational aspirations exceed expectations. In Study 1 (N = 85) aspiring to a thesis grade higher than one expected predicted greater depression at the beginning and end of the academic year. In Study 2 (N = 2820) aspiring to a level of education (e.g., attending college) higher than one expected to achieve predicted greater depression cross-sectionally and five years later. In both cases the negative effects of aspiring high while expecting low persisted even after controlling for whether or not students achieved their educational aspirations. These findings highlight the danger of teaching students to aspire higher without also investing time and money to ensure that students can reasonably expect to achieve their educational goals.

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