Mens & Maatschappij - Volume 99, Issue 2, 2024

‘Acting selflessly to effectively do something for yourself’: The individualistic perspective of young adults on Maatschappelijke Diensttijd

Concerns about young adults’ social engagement in the Netherlands have prompted the implementation of Maatschappelijke Diensttijd (MDT), a service-learning policy for young adults, but it remains ambiguous what motivates and withholds young adults from participation. This study therefore focuses on the question ‘how do young adults weigh their motivations for participating in MDT?’ Young adults’ volunteerability to engage in MDT was investigated, and eight semi-structured interviews with young adults with a gap year were conducted. My analysis identifies an individualistic social engagement, with the young adults weighing MDT in terms of their perceived opportunities for self-development, freedom of choice in their leisurely pursuits, and a sense of purpose and orientation towards the future. This study contextualises that young adults’ individualistic social engagement appears to be a – potentially international – sign of the times, and points out blind spots in and opportunities for Dutch policy regarding MDT.

From trust to action: Quantitative research into the association between political trust, a personal feeling of responsibility and political participation amongst young adults

This study investigates the association between political trust and four different types of political participation among young people and a possible mediation of these associations by a feeling of personal responsibility on the topic of climate change. The analysis is based on wave ten of the European Social Survey and is limited to young people from 18 to 25 years old from 16 European countries. Some important findings are that high political trust is associated with a higher chance of voting and a lower chance of lifestyle politics. The association between trust and lifestyle politics is also suppressed via the feeling of personal responsibility on the topic of climate change. The results are critically discussed and recommendations for future research and policy are made.

Single mothers, double role. Difference in the effect of level of education between single mothers and mothers with partner on the depressive symptoms of their adult child

In this article we asked whether the effect of education on the depressive symptoms of their adult children differs between single mothers and mothers with a partner. Previous research has shown that children from low-socioeconomic-status families suffer worse mental health outcomes than those from high-socioeconomic-status families. We therefore expected that adult children from higher educated mothers suffer less from depressive symptoms. Based on Goode’s (1960) role strain theory, we hypothesized this effect to be stronger for children of single mothers. Data from the LISS panel were used to test the hypotheses. A negative effect of mother’s level of education was found, but only for single mothers. As expected, the educational level of single mothers is of more importance in the mental health outcomes of their children, than that of mothers with a partner.