Investigating the Nature of Self-Authorship Development in CalWORKs (California Work Opportunities and Responsibility to Kids) Participants

• In Event: Issues in College Student Identity and Development

Abstract

Given that research has suggested that self-authorship may be most likely to emerge in students who are the most at-risk for leaving postsecondary education, but that it is not clear whether or how self-authorship may have practical relevance for students, this qualitative study of 100 participants investigated what does self-authorship development looked like in CalWORKs community college students, and if self-authorship development related to complex meaning making strategies in practically relevant domains like career-decision making? This study focuses on one of the most high-risk populations in postsecondary education, as CalWORKs students are part of an educational Welfare-to-Work program. Findings highlight the importance of relationship commitments in conjunction with emerging internal commitments. Self-authorship also appears related to more complex career-decision making.

Authors

• Jane Elizabeth Pizzolato, University of California - Los Angeles

• Avery B. Olson, University of California - Los Angeles

• Laura Nicole Paulson, University of California - Los Angeles