Date of Award

1-1-1980

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Counseling Psychology & Community Services

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to examine empirically Crites' Model of Career Maturity. The rational structure of Crites' model was compared with a statistical structure derived from a hierarchical clustering of items from the Career Maturity Inventory. Other purposes of this study included the examination of differences in the cluster structures between ninth and twelfth grade students, the determination of relationships among vocational choice attitudes and vocational choice competencies, and the establishment of normative data for the Career Maturity Inventory with a ninth and a twelfth grade, Grand Forks, North Dakota, population.The research population consisted of 106 ninth grade and 92 twelfth grade students from the Grand Forks public school system. Following the administration of the CMI Attitude and Competencies tests, cluster analyses were performed using test items. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were computed between the Attitude and Competencies tests' total scores and among Competencies test sub-scales. Cophenetic correlation coefficients were computed between the ninth and the twelfth grade populations from matrices resulting from the cluster analyses. Normative data were prepared for the research population.Two general clusters emerged from ninth and twelfth grade attitude test items. The first cluster contained items defining extrinsic work values and external locus of control. The second cluster contained items defining intrinsic work values and internal locus of control. Within the ninth grade data a sub-cluster emerged which appeared similar to Crites' "involvement in the choice" process. This sub-cluster defines an apprehension over the choice process and a lack of decision-making skills. That sub-cluster was not present in the twelfth grade data. A hierarchical structure was present at both grade levels and a cophenetic correlation coefficient of .91, accounting for 82 percent of the variance, indicated a high degree of similarity between the two structures.The items of the Competencies test at both ninth and twelfth grade levels formed one large general cluster and did not form any distinct clusters common to the theoretical subtest. Items did not cluster in a hierarchical manner. A cophenetic correlation coefficient of .65 was obtained between matrices derived from the cluster analysis, accounting for 42 percent of the variance. Thus, a moderate correlation exists between the ninth and twelfth grade structures. Correlations between Competencies test subtests at the twelfth grade level produced coefficient below Crites' predicted expectations.A correlation of .40 was obtained at the ninth grade level between the Attitudes and Competencies tests' total scores. This falls within the range predicted by Crites' model. A correlation of .28 was obtained between the total scores of the Attitudes and Competencies test among twelfth graders, a value slightly lower than the predicted range.The outcome of the analyses of the Attitudes test items support the rational structure of Crites' model whereas the Competencies test data does not support the structure. Results support the contention that independence and self-esteem (internal locus of control) may mediate the development of mature attitudes toward career choice. The author presents an alternate to Crites' Model of Career Maturity, using locus of control as a major factor in the development of career maturity.

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