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Possibility and Constraint in the Lives of Young Rural Workers in the United States: The Psychology of Working and Post-Trauma Vocational Trajectories

Work and wellness have long been linked in the field of psychology, but few researchers have studied this topic with rural emerging adults without a high school diploma. Overall, rural areas in the United States have higher rates of poverty and lower educational attainment than nonrural areas. This narrative inquiry illuminates how precariousness in home and school contexts influenced the work trajectories and aspirations of ten 20- to 25-year-old research participants. Findings contribute to the psychology of working theory by illuminating the individual and contextual factors that generated possibility and constraint in the lives of young workers with limited education and significant adverse experiences. While traumatic experiences continued to trouble the lives of research participants, there was also evidence of post-traumatic growth, the construction of aspirational narratives, and positive future orientation. Community mentors, including teachers and employers, made a difference. Implications for educators and counselors are discussed.