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Perceived influences on the career choices of children and youth: an exploratory study

  • Kimberly A. S. Howard
  • Sean Flanagan
  • Eleanor Castine
  • Mary E. Walsh
Article
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Abstract

Children’s understanding of factors influencing their career choices was examined. Seventy-two children, in grades kindergarten, 4, and 8, responded to questions about their perceptions of career influences. Responses were coded to capture the nature of the influences identified, including the global versus specific and linear versus interacting nature of these influences. Further, influences were coded as existing proximal versus distal to the child. Results indicate that older children identified more career influences that were either specific or categorical and interacted in dynamic ways. No evidence was found for older children offering influences that existed at a systems level of organization.

Keywords

Career choice Career influences Child vocational development 

Résumé

Influences perçues sur les choix de carrière par les enfants et les jeunes: Une étude exploratoire. Nous avons investigué la compréhension des enfants quant aux facteurs influençant leurs choix de carrière. Septante-deux enfants issus des niveaux 1er, 4ème et 8ème degrés scolaires ont répondu à des questions portant sur leurs perceptions des influences sur les parcours professionnels. Les réponses ont été codées dans le but d’extraire la nature des influences identifiées, y compris la nature globale versus spécifique, et linéaire versus interactive de ces influences. De plus, les influences ont été codées comme étant proximales versus distales vis-à-vis de l’enfant. Les résultats indiquent que les enfants plus âgés ont identifié davantage d’influences de carrière qui étaient soit spécifiques soit catégorielles et qui interagissaient de manière dynamique. Il n’a pas été démontré que les enfants plus âgés proposaient des influences existant à un niveau organisationnel des systèmes. Aucune preuve n’a été trouvée pour les enfants plus âgés proposant des influences qui existaient au niveau des systèmes des organisations.

Zusammenfassung

Wahrgenommene Einflüsse auf Karriere/Laufbahnentscheidungen bei Kindern und Jugendlichen: Eine explorative Studie. Wir untersuchten das Verständnis von Kindern im Bezug auf Einflussfaktoren bzgl. ihrer beruflichen Laufbahn. 72 Kinder aus dem Kindergarten und Klasse 4 und 8 haben Fragen zu ihrer Vorstellung von Laufbahneinflüssen beantwortet. Die Antworten wurden so kodiert, dass sie die natürlichen Einflüsse identifizieren, sowohl die globalen und die spezifischen, als auch die linearen versus die interaktionalen Einflüsse. Weiter wurden die Einflüsse in proximal und distal codiert. Die Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass ältere Kinder mehrere Laufbahneinflüsse identifizieren die entweder spezifisch oder kategorial sind und auf dynamische Weise miteinander interagieren. Es wurden keine Hinweise dafür gefunden, dass ältere Kinder Einflüsse anführen, die sich auf das Systemlevel der Organisation beziehen.

Resumen

Influencias detectadas en la elección de carreras entre niños y jóvenes: Un estudio exploratorio. Se examina la comprensión infantil sobre los factores que influyen en la elección de la carrera. 72 niños, de escuelas infantiles, grado 4 y 8, respondieron a preguntas acerca de su percepción sobre la influencia en las carreras. Las respuestas fueron codificadas con el fin de poder capturar de las influencias identificadas, considerando la naturaleza global versus la específica y la lineal versus la interactiva, de dichas influencias. Además, se codificaron las influencias existentes entre próximas versus distantes al niño. Los resultados indican que los niños mayores identificaron más influencias de carrera ya fueran específica o categóricas y que interactuaron de forma dinámica. No se encontraron evidencias para los niños mayores que presentan influencias que existen a niveles de sistemas de organización.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  • Kimberly A. S. Howard
    • 1
  • Sean Flanagan
    • 1
  • Eleanor Castine
    • 1
  • Mary E. Walsh
    • 2
  1. 1.Counseling Psychology & Human DevelopmentBoston University School of EducationBostonUSA
  2. 2.Department of Counseling, Developmental & Educational PsychologyBoston College Lynch School of EducationChestnut HillUSA

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