New article published in Journal of Youth and Adolescence
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The publication “Understanding the interplay between political participation and political efficacy” by Pascal Alscher and Jana Costa investigates the reciprocal relationship between non-institutionalized political participation and political efficacy among adolescents. This two-wave panel study analyzes data from German students from Grade 7 and Grade 8. The research examined how internal and external political efficacy relate to participation, as well as whether participation influences political efficacy over time. Findings indicate low stability for external political efficacy and non-institutionalized participation, while moderate stability is observed for internal political efficacy between Grades 7 and 8. After controlling for demographic factors, internal political efficacy in Grade 7 was positively related to non-institutionalized participation in Grade 8; however, no significant effects of participation on efficacy were observed. This study offers initial insights into the connection between non-institutionalized democratic practices and adolescents’ perceptions of political efficacy. The results suggest that the transformative potential of participatory activities may depend on specific conditions, highlighting the need for further research to explore these dynamics longitudinally and across different forms of participation.
To the paper: Article in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence