The relationship of parental education and maternal work and occupational status to Occupational Aspiration in adolescent females

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship of parental education and maternal work and occupational status to the Occupational Aspirations (classified as Innovative, Moderate, and Traditional) of adolescent females. Innovative occupations are those in which fewer than 30% of the workers are women; Moderate occupations are those in which 30–50% of the workers are women; and Traditional occupations are those in which more than 50% of the workers are women. Innovative choices were made significantly more often as an Ideal aspiration than as a Real aspiration, and, reciprocally, Traditional occupations were chosen less often as an Ideal aspiration than as a Real aspiration. Significant association was found between Occupational Aspiration and father's education and between Occupational Aspiration and mother's occupational status (traditional or nontraditional).