Predicting Two Components of Career Maturity in School Based Adolescents

Three hundred and sixty-seven secondary school students across five year levels (8–12) were assessed for levels of career maturity (attitude and knowledge), work commitment, work value, career decidedness (indecision and certainty), career decision-making self-efficacy and self-esteem, and indicated their age, gender, socioeconomic status, school achievement and work experience. Using two multiple regression analyses, the predictor variables were able to account for 52% of the variance of career maturity attitude, and account for 41% of the variance of career maturity knowledge. Self-efficacy, age, career decidedness (certainty) and work commitment were the main predictors of career maturity attitude. Age, gender, career decidedness (certainty), work commitment and career decidedness (indecision) were the main predictors of career maturity knowledge. Results demonstrated the importance of examining two aspects of career maturity (attitude and knowledge), and were discussed in the context of Super's (1957, 1990) theory of career development.     

Moving Beyond a Deficit Model to Describe and Promote the Career Development of At-Risk Youth

A theoretical framework for understanding the career maturity of diverse groups is needed since the career maturity construct has evolved using white, middle class samples (Cheatham, 1990). Krumboltz holds that career beliefs can be influenced by one's social environment (1991). If career beliefs were related to the career maturity of a diverse group, they could be used to provide a more coherent understanding of the unique social experiences that surround their career maturity. This study examined relationships between the career beliefs and the career maturity of academically at-risk students who were failing core academic courses. Several career beliefs were significantly related to the career maturity of the sample in this study such as the belief that obstacles can be overcome and college/occupation variation. The career beliefs construct appeared to clarify the role that social experiences played on the career maturity of the sample in this study.     

Perspectives on Donald Super's Construct of Career Maturity

The evolution of Donald Super's construct of Career Maturity (CM) is traced from the Career Pattern Study of the 1950s to the innovative research of the Work Importance Study in the 1980s. Successful attempts to establish the portability of the CM construct across countries, particularly in Canada and Australia, are described. An overview of instruments derived from Super's theories about career development and maturity is presented, together with an overview of research on the correlates of CM. Reference is made to implications of changes over time in the nature of work and the nature of careers for Super's theories. As others have recognised, evolving changes in these areas mean that theories, to remain relevant, also need to evolve. The article includes discussion of some of the dimensions identified more recently as useful in explaining career development levels and patterns, including career indecision and work role salience.     

Individual predictors of adolescents’ vocational interest stabilities

The study investigated the predictive utility of interest profile differentiation, coherence, elevation, congruence, and vocational identity commitment and career maturity (career planning and exploration) on the 10-month interest stability of 292 Swiss eighth-grade students: profile, rank, and level stabilities were assessed. Controlling for socio-demographic and vocational interest type variables, measures of differentiated and coherent vocational interests were significant predictors of profile stability. Interest elevation predicted more rank and level stability. The career development variables explained only a non-significant additional amount of variance in the different stability measures.     

Family systems as predictors of career attitude maturity for Korean high school students

This study examined the relationships between family systems and high school students’ career development. Family adaptability and family cohesion were considered as indicators of family function, and career attitude maturity was conceptualized as a representative factor explaining adolescents’ career development. A total of 634 high school students participated in this study. Overall, the results showed that family adaptability and family cohesion were both significant predictors of tenth graders’ career attitude maturity. The effects of parents’ educational backgrounds on career attitude maturity were negligible. However, the relationships were inconsistent across gender. For female students, family cohesion was a more influential predictor of career attitude maturity than family adaptability, while the opposite pattern was observed for the male students.     

The Influences of School and Home Factors on the Career Development of Secondary School Students

This study examined the level of career maturity of 324 secondary school students and the impact of career guidance and parental involvement on the career development of these students. The results showed that students who had been exposed to some form of career guidance in school scored higher on the Career Attitude Scale. Those who had received home support in the form of parental involvement in career planning and availability of career role models also showed a higher level of career maturity in terms of career planfulness and work orientation. Although career attitude was found to mature with age, there was no significant sex differences in the career development of these students. Such findings highlighted the importance of career guidance in school and home support in enhancing the career maturity of our students.     

当代国外职业决策理论模型解析

近20年来,受决策研究和心理学理论的影响,特别是以信息加工为代表的认知心理学的影响,在批判早期职业决策理论的基础上,职业心理学家提出了新的职业决策理论和模型。与早期的理论模型相比,这些理论和模型扩展了职业决策的范围,也更加关注职业决策是如何做出的,职业决策的过程和机制等问题。     

Career Counseling Practitioners: Reflections on Theory, Research, and Practice

Career counseling practitioners of varied training levels were surveyed regarding the extent to which major career theories and research data inform their work with clients. In addition, this study was interested in career counselors views regarding (a) how career theorists, researchers, and practitioners can work together to address the needs of career clients, and (b) how theory and research findings can be more relevant to practice. Survey findings revealed that licensed counselors and psychologists as compared to non-counselor trained career practitioners agreed to a greater extent that their degree program had adequately prepared them to provide career counseling by emphasizing theory and attention to personal and career issues, and were more likely to regard professional development activities as important to their career counseling effectiveness. Finally, practitioners had numerous comments regarding the utility of career theory and interventions, and suggestions for bridging the gap between theory and practice.     

Following Super's Heritage: Evaluation of a Career Development Program in Spain

One of Super's most important contributions has been his emphasis onthe fact that careers develop over a life span. He proposed thatcounsellors measure career development through the construct ofvocational maturity, by identifying the coping methods used in facing avocational task at each chronological age. To complement the constructof maturation as the central process in adolescent career development hedevised measures of career maturity, such as the Career DevelopmentInventory – School Form (CDI-SF). Adopting an integratedperspective akin to Super and the specific concepts he identified ascomprising Career Maturity, the author reviewed recent advances inguidance and counselling theories to lay the theoretical foundations forthe design of her Career Development Program: Tu Futuro Profesional– TFP (Your Future Career). This article shows that, althoughthe concept of career maturity has its limitations, the CDI can be usedto measure the outcome of the Program – TFP and to evaluate itseffectiveness. This procedure was used in a pre-post-test research with4991 Spanish students from the 7th to 11th grade.     

A longitudinal study of career maturity of Korean adolescents: the effects of personal and contextual factors

The purpose of this longitudinal study is to examine the effects of personal factors and contextual determinants on the career maturity change of Korean adolescents over a 5-year period. This study used data from the Korea Youth Panel Survey which was administered to 3,449 junior high students from Grades 8 to 12, starting in 2003. A linear mixed-effects regression was used to test the study model. The results showed the levels of Korean adolescents?? career maturity were significantly influenced by personal predictors (gender, work values, career efficacy, self-efficacy, career development activities, school achievement, sex-role stereotyping, pressure for academic achievement, and part-time experiences) and contextual predictors (career conversations with parents, relationships with friends, and private education expense). Among career-related variables, only work values affected the slope of the career maturity growth curve. Implications for career counselors and educators are discussed.     

Predicting career development in hard-of-hearing adolescents in Australia

This article reports on a study investigating the career development of hard-of-hearing high school students attending regular classes with itinerant teacher support. We compared 65 hard-of-hearing students with a matched group of normally hearing peers on measures of career maturity, career indecision, perceived career barriers, and three variables associated with social cognitive career theory career decision-making self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and goals. In addition, the predictors of career maturity and career indecision were tested in both groups. Results indicated that (a) the two groups did not differ on measures of career maturity, (b) the SCCT variables were less predictive of career behaviors for the hard-of-hearing students than for the normally hearing students, and (c) perceived career barriers related to hearing loss predicted lower scores on career maturity attitude for the hard-of-hearing students. These findings are discussed in the context of career education and counseling interventions that may benefit young people who are hard of hearing.     

A Cross-Cultural Study of the Career Maturity of Korean and United States High School Students

The present study aimed at conducting a cross-cultural comparison of career maturity between Korea and the United States. First, a Korean version of the Career Attitude Maturity Inventory (CAMI) was constructed. Then, an English version parallel to that Korean version was formed following three stages of procedure; translation, back translation, and field study. Finally, high school students of 11th grade from two different cultures (331 from Korea and 266 from the United States) were administered to the CAMI. Results indicated that constructs of career maturity are similar across two cultures with no gender differences. However, it was found that the level of maturity for those constructs was culture-bound. Those findings were discussed in cultural aspects of the development of career maturity.     

重庆市大学生职业心理成熟度研究

重庆市大学生的总体职业成熟度和职业成熟度各因子的表现水平均一般。其中以职业世界知识最低;大学生职业成熟度在性别上存在显著差异,男生比女生职业成熟度高;大学生职业成熟度在年级上存在显著差异,大四最高,整个发展趋势呈“V”型;大学生职业成熟度在是否兼职上存在显著差异,兼职过的学生比未兼职过的学生职业成熟度高：大学生职业成熟度在家庭收入上存在显著差异．家庭收入高的学生职业成熟度高。     

Issues in the school-to-work transition of hard of hearing adolescents

Career theorists emphasize the importance of the development of career maturity in adolescents if they are to successfully negotiate the school-to-work transition. Transitions of deaf and hard of hearing adolescents may be especially problematic. The authors examine the implications of current labor market trends for young people, in particular those with hearing loss, and review data on employment outcomes for deaf and hard of hearing people. They discuss the environmental and attitudinal barriers that can influence the career outcomes of this population, consider the impact of hearing loss on adolescents' career maturity, and review the studies on this topic in the literature. The article focuses on the experiences of students with significant hearing loss who are educated in regular classes with the support of itinerant teachers, who communicate orally, and who may be defined as hard of hearing. Recommendations for research and practice are provided.     

中职生职业成熟度的特点研究

为探讨中职生职业成熟度的特点及趋势,采用中学生职业成熟度问卷对江西省一所中等职业技术学校的学生进行调查。结果显示中职生职业成熟度,已经形成了稳定的职业倾向,但职业知识不足;中职生在职业态度上存在性别差异,女生功利性大于男生但主动性低于男生;中职生在职业态度上存在年级差异,二年级学生在功利性上低于一年级学生,但在稳定性和主动性上高于一年级学生;中职生职业态度上是否有打工经历存在影响,有打工经历的学生独立性和主动性更高;中职生在职业态度上存在专业差异,机械加工类专业学生在独立性和功利性上不如非机械加工类专业学生但在主动性上好于非机械加工类专业学生。总体来说,中职生职业态度在性别、年级、有无打工经历和专业上均存在一定的差异。     

Adolescent Work, Vocational Development, and Education

This review examines contemporary issues in vocational development with emphasis on adolescents' work experiences in social context. Attention is directed to the changing social and cultural context for vocational development, the influence of work experience on adolescent development and educational achievement, and theoretical approaches that guide contemporary studies of vocational development and career maturity. In light of the utility of current theories, new directions are suggested to enhance understanding of adolescent employment, vocational development, and educational pursuits. Social policy initiatives to promote adolescents' exercise of agency and their vocational development are considered.     

Career Problem Assessment: A Conceptual Schema for Counselor Training

Counseling students learn about various theories, models, and career assessment measures during their training. However, the transition to practicum and internship often challenges students to decide on when to apply career theories and measures to specific problems. An assessment schema is proposed to assist counselor trainees with a systematic approach to conceptualizing a client's career problem. With this assessment schema, counselor educators can help trainees organize data into meaningful categories, reduce conceptual confusion, and engage students in the study of careers.     

The Career Maturity of Singaporean Adolescents — Where do We Stand and What Can be Done?

This study investigated the cognitive, attitudinal and behavioural aspects of the career maturity of 1380 secondary school and junior college students.

The findings reveal a general weakness in career exploration and in the students' development of career decision-making skills. While no significant gender differences can be observed, there is strong evidence to indicate that career development does mature with age. The findings also suggest a positive association between career maturity and academic performance and between career maturity and parental involvement. Among the resource persons identified, teachers are the least consulted. They are also rated as the least helpful source of career information.

In the light of these findings, implications for the planning and implementation of career guidance in schools to enhance the career maturity of the students are discussed and suggestions made.     

高职学生的职业成熟度与专业因子关系研究——基于广东轻工职业技术学院的调查分析

调查发现,高职生的职业成熟度总体水平属于中等程度,专业学习对高职学生职业成熟度的影响很大.专业类型、专业认知、专业满意度不同的学生其职业成熟度呈现不同程度的差异.在高职教育中应针对不同均专业类型特点、结合专业教学开展职业发展教育.