Description

The Instrumental Visions About Future Scale [VAF-22] is a psychometric instrument that focuses on adolescents’ perceptions and visions of their future. The scale can be considered a measure of key psychological dimensions related to hope, optimism, and pessimism.

The instrument was developed with the aim of supporting adolescents’ abilities and knowledge and encouraging engagement in innovative activities that may contribute to their personal development and future orientation.

Purpose

The main purpose of the VAF-22 is to assess how adolescents perceive and conceptualize their future. By examining optimism, pessimism, and hope, the scale provides information about young people’s expectations, attitudes, and orientation toward future possibilities.

Structure and Scoring

The VAF-22 consists of 22 items, answered on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (“Does not describe me at all”) to 5 (“Describes me very well”).

The scoring procedure allows the development of a profile reflecting different dimensions of adolescents’ future expectations and visions.

Data Analysis and Use

Research conducted with Italian adolescents confirmed the multidimensional and factorial structure of the VAF-22. The scale was also found to be associated with life satisfaction and career adaptability, while measurement invariance across gender was examined.

The instrument may be used in educational, counseling, and research settings, particularly in studies focusing on transition to adulthood, career development, and positive expectations about the future.

Validity and Reliability

The VAF-22 is described as a reliable and valid instrument. Findings indicated no systematic positive or negative bias between boys and girls regarding the relationship between optimism and pessimism.

Reference

Ginevra, M. C., Sgaramella, T. M., Ferrari, L., Nota, L., Santilli, S., & Soresi, S. (2017). Visions about future: A new scale assessing optimism, pessimism, and hope in adolescents. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 17(2), 187–210.