The mediating influence of career aspirations and career decision-making self-efficacy on self-differentiation, vocational identity, and career indecision

Research indicates that numerous family variables influence the careerdevelopment process (Osipow, 1983). Bowen’s family systems theory is one model through which to view the development and influence o f the family on career development (Bowen, 1972). According to his theory, individuals begin life highly dependent on family members for all forms of support. As people grow into adults, they slowly become independent o f their family, or self-differentiated. Adults low in self­ differentiation have been found to make decisions in order to appease their families. Further, low levels of self-differentiation have been related to greater mental health problems (Skowron & Friedlander, 1998) and relational dysfunction (Jenkins, Buboltz, Schwartz, & Johnson, 2005). Conversely, those who are high in self-differentiation tended to report greater emotional and interpersonal stability (Jenkins, et al., 2005). However, there is little research that has explored the relationship between self­ differentiation and variables that are important in the development of career identity. The purpose o f this study was to better understand the relationships among self­ differentiation, career indecision, career decision-making self-efficacy, vocational identity, and career aspirations. Data were analyzed from 324 students (59% female) enrolled in undergraduate psychology courses. Due to significant mean differences between males and females, the hypotheses were analyzed separately for each gender. For females, career decision-making self-efficacy and career aspirations are significant mediators o f the relationship between differentiation o f self, vocational identity, and career indecision. For males, both career decision-making self-efficacy and career aspirations are significant mediators o f the relationship between differentiation of self and vocational identity. Additionally, career decision-making self-efficacy is a significant mediator o f the relationship between career indecision and differentiation o f self for males. However, for males, career aspirations is not a mediator o f the relationship between differentiation of self and career indecision when analyzed without career decision-making self-efficacy. The impact o f these findings on future research and career counseling is discussed. APPROVAL FOR SCHOLARLY DISSEMINATION The author grants to the Prescott Memorial Library o f Louisiana Tech University the right to reproduce, by appropriate methods, upon request, any or all portions o f this Dissertation. It is understood that “proper request” consists o f the agreement, on the part o f the requesting party, that said reproduction is for his personal use and that subsequent reproduction will not occur without written approval o f the author o f this Dissertation. Further, any portions o f the Dissertation used in books, papers, and other works must be appropriately referenced to this Dissertation. Finally, the author o f this Dissertation reserves the right to publish freely, in the literature, at any time, any or all portions o f this Dissertation.