Career Aspirations and Expectations of Women in Speech-language Pathology

Martha Hall-Ellard Child Development Centre University of Western Ontario Specific information about career aspirations and expectations of speech· language pathologists generally is lacking. How can we recruit and retain students without knowledge of their perceptions of career options and of their expectations of what a career will bring? We have some datafrom Australia, and the current study reports Canadian data. These data offer the potential backgroundfor an in-depth examination of what might be important to future speech-language pathologists. A wider range of career options is now available to educated women. This is particularly relevant to speech-language pathology. Although more than half the professionals in the entire work force are now women, they constitute 91 % of speech-language pathologists. Their increased numbers and increased longevity of employment (29.3 years) are having a substantial impact on the labour force (Bureau of Labour Statistics, 1986). A career involves the interaction of an individual with work activities throughout the entire adult life cycle (Gutek & Larwood, 1987). As such, a career development might be viewed as a series of jobs that represents growth in one or more than one occupation. Progress may be measured by increases in rank, salary. or recognition and respect, and through greater freedom or more control in selecting work activities. Glaze and Ellis (1980) defined career aspirations as "the full range of opportunities which an individual is capable of seeing for himself or herself' and career expectations as "more realistic plans [that] may be somewhat narrower" (p. 19). Several studies have reported that females had lower educational and career expectations than their male counterparts (Russell, 1973; Sutherland, 1978). Women speech-language pathology students in A ustralia reportedly had intermediate career status aspirations. These aspirations increased after these students started to work and remained at this increased level five years later (Nordholm. Westbrook, & Walker. 1978; Westbrook & Nordholm. 1979, 1985). JSLPAIROA (HCC) Vol. 13, No. 2,June 1989 Genese Warr-Leeper Department of Communicative Disorders University of Western Ontario Reportedly, women more frequently exhibit discrepancies between career aspirations and expectations. This lack of congruence applies to their career plans, occupation selection, occupation status, and to job promotion (Porter, Porter & Blishen, 1973; Sutherland, 1978; Glaze, 1979; Martin, Price, Bies & Powers, 1987). Attitudes and beliefs about one's career may change over time as additional knowledge and experience are gained. It is important to know what effects these changes might have on career decisions. In an Australian study of women students' perceptions about speech-language pathology, it was reported that perceptions changed during their training, although these changes did not affect either degree of career satisfaction or intention to change careers (Westbrook & Nordholm, 1979). Career commitment and the accommodation of the dual roles required by family and career are important variables in working women's life style patterns (Betz, 1984). Working in a profession, getting married. leaving work temporarily to raise young children, and returning to her career is a life plan frequently seen among speech-language pathologists (Nordholm et al., 1978; Shewan, 1986; Westbrook & Nordholm. 1979, 1985). Do these dual roles affect the careers of speech-language pathologists? Shewan' s (1986) report that a return from a child care leave of absence was often to part-time work and to lower position responsibilities suggests an affirmative answer. To further our knowledge about women's perceptions of the speech-language pathology field, the current study was undertaken to examine Canadian women's career aspirations and expectations, to determine if changes occurred across stages of career development, and to investigate whether their career aspirations and expectations were congruent.