Degree Name

Education Specialist (EdS)

Semester of Degree Completion

2000

Thesis Director

Barbara Powell

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between students' perceptions of parental influence on their college and career choices and their emotional independence from parents. The relationship between satisfaction with career/major choice (as demonstrated by vocational commitment) and parental influence was also examined. In addition, relationships between emotional independence from parents and commitment to a career field were explored.

To meet the research objectives, four research questions were addressed. First, is the Perceived Parental Influence scale, developed for this study, a reliable and valid scale? Second, is there a significant relationship between students' perceptions of parental influence on career development and their emotional independence from parents? Third, is there a significant correlation between students' perceptions of parental influence and their vocational commitment? Fourth, is there a significant correlation between students' vocational commitment and their emotional independence?

It was hypothesized that there would be an inverse relationship between students' perceptions of parental influence on career development and their emotional independence from parents. Further, it was postulated that there would be a direct relationship between students' perceptions of parental influence on career development and their vocational commitment. Finally, it was hypothesized that there would be a direct relationship between students' vocational commitment and their emotional independence from parents.

Two subscales from the Iowa Student Development Inventories, which functionalize Chickering and Reisser's theory of student development, were used to assess students' emotional independence from parents and vocational commitment. In addition, perceived parental influence on career choice was measured using an inventory developed expressly for this purpose. Data were collected using Internet-based survey forms and a CGI script.

Results indicate support for the first hypothesis, with an inverse correlation identified between perceived parental influence on career development and emotional independence from parents. The second hypothesis was also supported, with a significant, but weak correlation found between vocational commitment and perceived parental influence. However, no significant relationship was established between vocational commitment and emotional independence from parents

During the course of the research it was established that the Perceived Parental Influence scale is a reliable and valid self-report measure of parental influence on career development. The items from the PPI were analyzed for reliability and produced a .86 Cronbach's alpha reliability. Split-half reliability tests were also conducted, yielding coefficients of .83 and .69, for parts one and two, respectively. The confirmatory factor analysis conducted on the scale indicated that all items loaded reasonably well on one factor, generally indicating that the theoretical conception of the PPI as a discreet entity is valid.

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