Parent Attitudes and Student Career Interests in Junior High School

Abstract

Data were collected on the mathematics achievement, spatial visualization ability, student attitudes, sex, parent attitudes, and student career interests of 1982 seventh and eighth graders from 13 midwestern junior high schools. Parent attitudes and student career interests were significant predictors of mathematics achievement over and above the other variables. Sex was the only variable that did not make a unique contribution to the variance. Three canonical variates were identified between student attitudes and parent attitudes; three between student attitudes and student career interests; and one between student career interests and parent attitudes.

Reliability and Validity of the Career Influence Inventory: A Pilot Study

“…The influence of parents on children's career behavior has been well documented in the career development research (Leung, Wright, & Foster, 1987;McNair & Brown, 1983;Palmer & Cochran, 1988). For example, Pedersen, Elmore, and Dorothy (1986) reported that parental support and high aspirations for their children were instrumental factors in students' desires to pursue math/science-related careers. Studies of college students who decided to major in engineering or technology fields have supported these results (Eisler & Iverson, 1986;Hankin, 1986).…”