In this study the research problem focused on adolescent vocational maturity and its antecedent dynamics. It was argued that vocational maturity, a construct used to assess degree of readiness for career bahavior, lacked a conceptual framework to compare individual dynamics. It was proposed that Erikson's theory of psychosocial identity development would serve to explain certain antecedent conditicns which facilitate or impede vocational maturity. The research hypothesis, that vocational maturity is a function of degree of identity resolution, was put forth. To study this problem, ninety-six senior high school boys from two Ottawa schools were interviewed and classified into identity status as a measure of identity resolution, and administered the Career Development Inventory as a measure of vocational maturity. Vocational maturity scores were compared across the four identity status groups using a univariate analysis of variance technique. The research hypothesis was supported. Post hoc procedures and multivariate analysis of the three subscales of the Career Development Inventory were applied. These results also supported the theoretical rationale. Vocational maturity mean scores were significantly different between the majority of pairs of identity status groups; only two non-predicted discrepancies were found. Subsequently, the subscales accounting for the discrepancies were identified. Recommendations were made regarding high school career guidance appropriate to differing degrees of identity resolution.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uottawa.ca/oai:ruor.uottawa.ca:10393/10497 |
| Date | January 1978 |
| Creators | Hawes, Frank. |
| Publisher | University of Ottawa (Canada) |
| Source Sets | Université d’Ottawa |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 150 p. |
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