Abstract
We tested an adapted version of social-cognitive career theory (SCCT; Lent et al., 1994, 2000) with a self-selected, diverse sample of middle-school students attending a Saturday STEM Academy asking, “Is SCCT valid for examining career choice goal-intentions among a sample of students already expressing interest in math and science-related subjects and careers?” According to SCCT, choosing a STEM-related career involves the complex interplay of personal and contextual factors, many of which become increasingly salient during the middle-school years. There is reason to believe that SCCT may function differently for students who are self-selected, such as those found in the present sample. Main findings in the full regression model showed that math/science motivation (T1), family support for engineering (T1), outcome expectancies (T2), and interest (T2) were significant predictors of (T2) goal intentions; whereas self-efficacy was non-significant as has been shown in much previous research. Relatedly, we found several measurement issues with the SCCT variables among this sample, thus partially answering the larger research question. Implications of the present findings and suggestions for future research are discussed in the context of the career-choice literature, theoretical and practical implications of SCCT, and relatedly, possible measurement issues arising from using SCCT with self-selected, middle-school samples.
Highlights
In the present study we were interested in exploring the larger research question “Is social-cognitive career theory (SCCT) valid for examining career choice goal-intentions among a sample of students already expressing interest in math and science-related subjects and careers?” To answer this larger question we answered three distinct, but interrelated questions: 1. How strongly do personal and environmental antecedents relate to the social-cognitive factors of self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, interest, and goals with our sample?
With respect to the second question, “How well does an adapted version of SCCT work in examining career choice goal intentions for this sample?” we conducted a final regression analysis in which the same demographics were entered at step 1, the same personal and contextual factors were entered at step 2, and as an additional step to test the entire model, the social-cognitive variables of interest, outcome expectancy, and self-efficacy were entered at step 3
With regards to SCCT as a theoretical framework for understanding career choice goal intentions among self-selected middle schoolers, we found that the broader model was robust, with the several significant social-cognitive predictors
Summary
All original scale items were retained and were designed to measure middle-school students’ future goals to pursue math and science-related courses and careers (Navarro et al, 2007). With respect to the first question, “How do personal and contextual antecedents influence social cognitive variables (interest, self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, & goals) in SCCT with a self-selected, diverse middle-school sample?” we conducted four separate hierarchical regressions.
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