The purposes of this study were to identify and analyze stated occupational goal orientations of female Mexican-American and Anglo high-school seniors of the classes of 1972 and 1980. Data utilized in this study were obtained from The National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 and High School and Beyond: A National Longitudinal Study for the 1980s. Data from both surveys were weighted appropriately to adjust for the oversampling of minority students. The weighted data for the NLS (1972) Anglo group produced a sample size of 992,139, while the concomitant Mexican-American group was 22,482. The weighted data for the HSB (1980) Anglo group consisted of a sample of 1,032,953, and the corresponding Mexican-American group was comprised of a sample of 20,579. Stated occupational goals were clustered to form four types of occupations, professional, clerical, non-traditional, and homemaker. Seven research questions were formulated to explore possible associations of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, scholastic aptitude, and survey year with types of occupational goal orientations. Statistical procedures utilized in this study included frequency counts, percentages, odds ratios, log-linear analyses, and confidence intervals. Stated occupational goal orientations were statistically related to students' ethnicity, aptitude level, socioeconomic status, and year of graduation from high school. Recommendations for further research include examination of educational aspirations and educational completion rates. Stated aspirations should be compared with actual vocational achievement. Barriers to educational and vocational achievement warrant investigation, especially for the Mexican-American female. Formulation of contemporary models of vocational choice for women requires a thorough consideration of the effects of ethnicity, aptitude, SES, and other major life roles, such as marriage and parenthood, upon labor force participation.

Over the last twenty years women have gradually entered number of occupations that have been considered "traditionally male". Despite recent gains, women continue to be underrepresented in science, mathematics and engineering career fields. Based on the application of Bandura's self-efficacy theory as applied to career development, the purpose of this study was to determine whether there was any difference in career choice self-efficacy, career decision-making self-efficacy or career maturity after participating in one of two performance-based research programs, specifically, a community-based mentorship program or a school-based research program. In addition the study investigated gender and personality differences between the groups, the student and mentor/supervisor perceptions of the quality and enjoyment of the experience, the quantitative application, the time involved and ways to improve the programs. The quasi-experimental study used a non-randomized control-group pretest-posttest design with two experimental groups and one control group. To determine the reliability and validity of the student perception instrument and the mentor/supervisor validation assessment, a pilot study was conducted. The groups were pre and post tested using the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale, the Career Development Inventory and the Self-Efficacy for Technical/Scientific Fields Scale. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) with PSAT scores and grade point averages serving as covariates. The results of the study found no differences in gain scores between the experiential programs and ordinary maturation. However, students in the mentorship program felt more positive about their mentor, the scientific/technical nature of the experience, and the application and enjoyment of the program than did the school-based group. The groups differed generally on the judging/perceiving characteristic of the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator scale. Gender differences were found in time supervisors spent with students: whereas, mentors spent over twice as much time helping females, school-based teachers spent twice as much time with males. Recommendations include further validation of self-efficacy measures, further investigation of the effectiveness of self-efficacy based interventions, and replication with more diverse and special populations as well as with elementary and junior high school students. / Ed. D.

The discovery of the variables that impact on the career aspirations of children is important in the development of effective programs and interventions. These variables can also serve as a basis to provide equal opportunities and to promote diversity in the work place. This study was driven by three primary areas of investigation. First, it sought to discover the perceived gender characteristics of selected occupations held by a group of children. Second, it sought to investigate in what ways the occupational patterns within the families of these children related to their perceptions of occupational gender characteristics. Third, it sought to explore in what ways the occupational preferences of these children related to their perceptions of occupational gender characteristics. A qualitative research design using multiple-case studies was utilized. Participants were selected from a pool of 76 fifth-grade students from a suburban elementary school. A purposive sample of 11 boys and 10 girls was selected from this pool for in-depth study. A structured interview schedule was the main source of data collection. Data analysis was based on the tenets of the grounded theory approach. This study revealed that these children assigned gender characteristics to occupations based on their underlying views of the meaning and character of femininity and masculinity. The occupational patterns in the families of these children were traditionally sex-typed and the boys perpetuated that pattern by selecting traditional occupations for themselves. The boys selected occupations which were congruent with their views of masculinity. Several of the girls broke away from the traditional sex-typed occupations of their mothers and aspired to nontraditional occupations. The girls who broke the traditional patterns were cognizant of the dominant social views and practices regarding gender-appropriate occupations. Nonetheless, they were undeterred in stating their aspirations of traditionally male occupations. / Ed. D.