Adolescents across the five years of high school (169 females and 164 males) completed a survey that identified occupational status aspirations and expectations coded into six types-- realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, or conventional--according to the RIASEC model (Holland, 1997). As the focus of the study was to explore…

Examined relationship between career maturity and commitment to work, sex, socioeconomic status, and college level among 372 undergraduates. Found commitment to work related to both attitudinal and cognitive factors of career maturity. Sex and socioeconomic status were not related to career maturity. (Author/NB)

Efforts to retain students, including career development strategies, can be particularly costly when dealing with the diverse educational backgrounds and aspirations that are typically found among community college students. For this reason, a study examined the career maturity differences that exist among subgroups of freshman-level community…

Investigated student characteristics in relation to affective and cognitive aspects of adolescent career development. Questionnaire results indicated three styles of career development: intellective or deliberative; concerned and personally involved with high or low aspirations; and uncertain or confused. Suggests motives and strategies that might…

A study examined the role of career maturity in the college persistence of 307 freshmen at a public, residential, four-year college. Results indicate that the My Vocational Situation instrument is reliable and valid, although theoretical formulations should be reexamined. Career maturity was positively associated with several variables important…

Career education programs, such as co-operative education, have been shown to influence career development. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether secondary school co-operative education had the benefit of enhanced career maturity, as measured by the Career Development Inventory. An experimental design called the Solomon four-group…

The learning of decision-making (DM) skills and appropriate attitudes is an important objective of career education. This study provides an empirical test of theoretical links between aspects of DM styles and vocational maturity (VM) in adolescence. Approximately 260 Australian students in grades ten and twelve answered questionnaires measuring…

The report analyzes the values of the Career Development Inventory (CDI) as a means of assessing the vocational maturity of the 44 students in the Appalachia Educational Laboratory's Employer-Based Career Education (AEL/EBCE) program. The test instrument measures attitudinal and cognitive skills which correspond with program goals, and was…

A study was conducted to explore the evolution of career education concepts and its application to the bilingual population. The literature search reviewed theory as well as research papers, surveys, other literature searches, program descriptions, and state vocational/career education plans. Agencies which produce literature and other career…