Change/Stability in American Youth Occupational Expectations

• In Event: 66.055 - Using National and International Data Sets to Explore Young Adult Outcomes

Abstract

Grounded in social cognitive theory, this study contributes to previous empirical efforts to understand factors affecting the career-development process of American youth, by focusing on change/stability in occupational expectations when comparing age 26 and high-school years. The study is based on the secondary analysis of data from ELS:2002. The main result is that higher college participation/completion status leads to stability in occupational expectations as measured by the prestige score of the desired occupation. In addition, higher occupational expectations make individuals to either sustain or upgrade their expectations. An upward change in occupational expectations is the result of higher job-related outcome expectations and more access to job-guidance resources. Meanwhile, math self-efficacy and higher self-regulatory behaviors contribute to stable occupational expectations.

Authors

• Maria Adamuti-Trache, The University of Texas - Arlington

• Yi Leaf Zhang, University of Texas at Arlington