A stable sense of purpose helps teens navigate life's challenges

MedicalXpress | mars 28, 2026

Like their emotions and self-esteem, teenagers' sense of purpose fluctuates day to day, and those who experience it steadily—not just intensely—may benefit most, new Cornell research finds. Studying the phenomenon in adolescents for the first time, the research adds to an emerging understanding that purpose is not a constant, have-it-or-you-don't trait measurable at any one time, as implied by most research to date.