A comparison of the self-concepts and patterns of career development of students identified as potential dropouts with those of students thought to be likely to complete school

Humphries, Anne M. (1989) A comparison of the self-concepts and patterns of career development of students identified as potential dropouts with those of students thought to be likely to complete school. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

This study attempted to determine whether or not differences existed between the self-concepts and patterns of career development of students who were identified as potential dropouts and those who were identified as being likely to remain in school. The sample consisted of one hundred eighty-nine students from three elementary schools. Data were collected from grade three and six students using a survey-type questionnaire and from their teachers using a prediction checklist. The analysis of these data consisted of crosstabulating the variables constituting self-concept as it relates to career development with the students' predicted academic futures and using chi-square analysis to reject the null hypothesis at the .05 level of significance. -- The theoretical constructs of the research were based upon the developmental theories of career decision-making and the major instrument was designed to assess the dimensions of career maturity deemed to be important at this level. Information was collected with respect to the students’ levels of occupational knowledge, the nature of their work values, their degree of decision-making ability and self-knowledge and understanding, their ability to see some link between school and the world of work, the amount and type of career role models available to them, their occupational and educational aspirations, and the degree of sex role stereotyping present with respect to their perceptions of various occupations. -- The factors chosen to investigate the nature of self-concept as it relates to career development included the career and educational aspirations of the students, their occupational knowledge, and degree of self-knowledge and understanding. Of these factors, those which were affective in nature were found to contribute most significantly to the differences in self-concept which existed between the three groups of students. These groups were selected by means of teacher nominations and consisted of students thought to be likely to drop out of school, complete school, and attend a post secondary institution. -- Recommendations for research and practise were made with respect to-programming needs for career guidance in the elementary school, particularly as it relates to the potential dropout.

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