Who lower their aspirations? The development and protective factors of college-associated career aspirations in adolescence

Journal article

Gao, Yannan and Eccles, Jacquelynne. (2020). Who lower their aspirations? The development and protective factors of college-associated career aspirations in adolescence. Journal of Vocational Behavior. 116, p. 103367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2019.103367
AuthorsGao, Yannan and Eccles, Jacquelynne
Abstract

Having college-associated career aspirations has long-term implications for adolescents' education and career attainment. However, important precursors of adolescents' career aspirations, such as academic motivation and performance, decline during middle school and high school, leaving college-associated career aspirations at risk. In our study, we investigated the changes in adolescents' college-related career aspirations from 7th to 11th grade and examined protective factors for negative development. Using longitudinal data (N = 706, 54% girls; 60% African American, 29% European American, 11% other ethnic groups or multiracial/multiethnic), we found four distinct patterns: stable high (N = 398), decrease (N = 136), increase (N = 102) and stable low (N = 70). Higher academic subjective task values and parent education level predict less probability of lowering one's aspirations, whereas no variable was found to uniquely predict the probability of increasing one's aspirations. Findings suggest that the development of career aspirations exhibits significant heterogeneity in adolescence. Future studies should investigate the association between the patterns of career aspiration and long-term career outcomes.

Keywordscareer aspiration; developmental heterogeneity; expectancy-value theory; achievement motivation; parent education level; status attainment
Year2020
JournalJournal of Vocational Behavior
Journal citation116, p. 103367
PublisherAcademic Press Inc.
ISSN0001-8791
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2019.103367
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85077006750
Research or scholarlyResearch
Page range1-13
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All rights reserved
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Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online13 Dec 2019
Publication process dates
Accepted09 Dec 2019
Deposited15 Jul 2021
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