The purpose of this study was to investigate a program model in which
parents and adolescents examine personal values, career decisions and plans.
The subjects were visually impaired students enrolled in regular secondary
school and their parents. Twenty volunteer adolescents with visual impairments
and their parents from 18 school districts in the province of British Columbia
participated in the study. The program consisted of four Partner’s Program
(Cochran, 1985) booklets: a
parent guideline manual, activity self-exploration
exercises, career decisions framework, and a
planning workbook designed to
facilitate parent involvement in career development activities. Two special
career reference publications which described a
variety of occupations and
necessary adaptations and technical devices designed for individuals with visual
impairment were also included. These materials were presented in audio tape,
large print and braille.
Adolescent subjects and their parents were randomly assigned to two
experimental groups. Each group received materials and were given five weeks
to complete the program. The Career Decision Scale (Osipow, 1976), Parent
Adolescent Communication Scale
(Barnes &
Olson, 1982), and Career Salience
Scale
(Greenhaus, 1971, 1977) were employed. All participants were
interviewed following the program.
A multivariate analysis of variance was computed, and the combined five
dependent variables were significantly affected between groups upon completion
of the program by the first group. The combined dependent variables were
significantly affected again with the second group upon completion of the
program. Examination of effect sizes for each dependent variable attributed the
differences to gains in measures of career planning and career salience and a
decline in career indecision. The effects on the measures of communication
were inconclusive.
The results indicated that students in both experimental groups confirmed
their career choices and became more aware of personal career values. The
subjects felt they were encouraged to plan and prepare for a career, explore
options, and consider their visual disabilities. Career planning was deemed
important by all participants. The importance of work and career were
confirmed for participants. Students’ attitudes improved with confirmation of
plans and career alternatives. The effects of the program in career development
of adolescents with visual impairments and the importance of parent-student
communication were positive. The comments of the parents suggested that they
had acquired understanding of their child’s career choices.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/6893 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | McConnell, John David |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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