Master's Theses

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Date of Award

Spring 1990

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Social Work

Advisor

Bill Daley

Abstract

The purpose of the researcher was to investigate the association of locus of control, scholastic achievement and career intervention programs with career maturity in high school juniors and seniors. Three Independent variables were investigated: 1) career intervention programs, 2) locus of control, and 3) scholastic achievement. The dependent variables were career maturity scores derived from the eight subscales on the Career Development Inventory: Career Planning (CP), Career Exploration (CE), Decision-Making (DM), World-of-Work (WW), Preferred Occupational Group (PO), Career Development-Attitudes (CDA), Career Development-Knowledge and Skills (CDK), and Career Orientation Total (COT). Three Instruments were used: 1) a demographic data sheet constructed by the researcher to obtain scholastic achievement levels; 2) Rotter's (1966) Social Reaction Inventory to obtain locus of control orientation; and 3) Career Development Inventory to obtain career maturity scores. The subjects consisted of 66 high school students. A pretest, posttest two or more groups mixed design was employed. Five composite null hypotheses were tested employing one-way analysis of covariance. A total of 40 comparisons were made. Three of the 40 comparisons were statistically significant at the .05 level. The three statistically significant comparisons were for main effects. The significant main effects were for the dependent variables: (DM), (WW), and (CDK). Career Awareness Program participants with high scholastic achievement had larger adjusted post mean scores for (DM), (WW), and (CDK) than Career Awareness Program participants with low scholastic achievement. From the results it was concluded that: (1) High scholastic achievers in a relatively short-term career intervention program are able to Increase their career decision-making skills as measured by the CDI subscale, Decision-Making (DM). (2) High scholastic achievers in a relatively short-term career intervention program are able to increase their knowledge of the work world as measured by the subscales, World-of-Work (WW). (3) High scholastic achievers in a relatively short-term career Intervention program are able to increase their knowledge and skills related to career problem-solving and Job success as measured by the CDI subscale, Career Development-Knowledge and Skills (CDK). (4) Career maturity is not enhanced by participation in career intervention programs. (5) Career maturity is not affected by a person’s locus of control orientation.

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Rights

© 1990 Kathleen J. Taylor

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