The purpose of this research was to determine if there were any relationships
between measured personality traits and vocational interests between the Adult
Learner with Learning Disabilities (ALLD) and without Learning Disabilities
(ALNLD). Instruments utilized to measure personality traits and vocational
interests included the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Self-Directed
Search-Form Easy (SDS-E). Additionally, the ALLD's assessed personality
traits were compared with their overall grade point average (GPA) at the post-secondary
level. Lastly, this study allowed an analysis of the level of
congruence between the ALLD's expected vocational goal upon college
completion and their vocational interests, as measured by the SDS-E.
The population investigated included ninety adult learners from Chemeketa
Community College in Salem, Oregon. Forty of these student participants
were learning disabled while the remaining fifty students were not learning
disabled. Both groups completed the MBTI, the SDS-E, and a student
questionnaire to provide the necessary data.
The log linear analysis indicated significant interactions between the ALLD
and ALNLD groups on the MBTI with a three-way interaction of learning status,
age, and MBTI preference pair Thinking-Feeling (p=.046); and a three way
interaction of learning status, age and MBTI preference pair Sensing Intuition
(p=.028). The ALLD presented preference for Thinking (T) and Sensing (S)
profiles while the ALNLD presented preference for Feeling (F) and equally for
Intuitive (N) and Sensing (S) preferences.
The log linear analysis also found no significance between the ALLD and
ALNLD groups vocational interests as measured by the SDS-E. This finding
supports literature reviewed that purports individuals with LD have personalities
and vocational interests as varied as their "non-disabled" peers.
The multiple regression test found no significant relationships between
personality traits as defined by the MBTI and the GPA of the ALLD. Perhaps
further investigation with a larger sample size might provide increased insight
on the relationship between personality patterns and GPA of the ALLD.
Lastly, this research which compared the highest surveyed and expressed
vocational interests of the ALLD, demonstrated that the SDS-E was a good
interest inventory to use with persons who were learning disabled. The SDS-E
presented a strong relationship (55% perfect match) between expressed and
measured interests of persons who were ALLD. This finding supports use of the
SDS-E as a career counseling tool for the ALLD population. / Graduation date: 1997
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/34393 |
| Date | 21 June 1996 |
| Creators | Keller, Linda U. |
| Contributors | Sendelbaugh, Joseph |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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