The experience of Hope among Italian undergraduate students

Psychological research on hope has mainly focused on its cognitive dimension. This qualitative study explores the relational, affective and behavioural features of hope with a sample of Italian university students, analysing their responses to open-ended survey questions that tap into the whole spectrum of the experience of hope, including fulfilled hopes, present hopes, and lost hopes. The findings suggest that the relational, affective, and behavioural features of hope are just as important as cognitive processes when it comes to people’s experience of hope. Practical implications and future research directions are discussed.