“I met this wife of mine and things got onto a better track” Turning points in risk development

In this study, qualitative and quantitative approaches were combined to study the mechanisms involved in turning-point experiences among individuals who had been exposed to several risk factors in childhood and adolescence. The study was part of the Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Development, in which the lives of the participants (196 boys and 173 girls) have been followed from age 8 to age 36. The data concerning turning points was collected by semi-structured interview when the participants were 36 years old. Participants were classified into six developmental trajectories according to risk factors at ages 8–14 and problems of social functioning at age 36. The results showed that individuals with an unsuccessful childhood constructed their life courses less often in terms of education, work and social transitions compared to others. Those who were managing well in their lives at age 36, despite several risk factors in childhood (resilients) reported positive experiences and plenty of choice in relation to their turning points. Participants in the vulnerable subgroup, for their part, perceived turning points more negatively, and reported few opportunities for personal choice. Altogether, the results indicate that childhood experiences influence the content of turning points in adult life by shaping the direction of actual life paths. The quality of current life, however, has a greater bearing on the way turning points are evaluated. Copyright 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of The Association for Professionals in Services for Adolescents.