College Expectations of Rural Appalachian Youth: An Exploration of Social Cognitive Career Theory Factors

An examination of social cognitive career theory (SCCT; R. W. Lent, S. D. Brown, & G. Hackett, 1994, 2000) factors contributing to the college expectations of high school students (N = 87) in rural Appalachia was conducted. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed support for the role of SCCT variables in predicting expectations to attend college. Specifically, the SCCT variables of perceptions of parental support and self-efficacy beliefs independently predicted Appalachian youth's expectations to attend college. Results are discussed in relation to SCCT, and implications for counseling and future research are presented. In recent years, counselors, psychologists, and theorists have made attempts to understand the underlying factors that affect the vocational development of underserved populations (Fitzgerald & Betz, 1994; Fouad & Brown, 2000). Appalachia is a 200,000-square-mile highland region located between the eastern seaboard and the Midwest (deMarrais, 1998) with the Appalachian mountains extending from Maine to Georgia. The rural central part of the Appalachian region is characterized by a lack of educational and career opportunities; rising unemployment; a decline in the number of skilled workers; and extreme poverty, with the poverty rate in central Appalachia being twice the national average (deMarrais, 1998; Owens, 2000; Tickamyer & Duncan, 1990; U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Historically, this region has been defined by a strong coal mining industry, the impact of labor unions, and unique sociocultural influences (Billings & Blee, 2000). These geographic, economic, and sociocultural factors are important contextual considerations for vocational and educational development that have the potential to affect the educational and career plans of rural Appalachian youth. Youth living in rural central Appalachia represent a unique and underserved group in an environment that is culturally rich and facing severe economic challenges. In central Appalachia, only 12.3% of the population older than 18 years holds a college degree, compared with the national average of 21% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Furthermore, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (2001), young people whose parents did not attend college are less likely to plan to attend college and actually enroll in college. The low percentage of adults holding college degrees means that Appalachian youth are exposed to fewer role models with postsecondary education and have diminished access to information and fewer supports for postsecondary educational opportunities, which can potentially result in low confidence in their academic abilities. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to examine the relationships between these contextual and cognitive factors and expectations to attend college among a group of rural Appalachian high school students. Sociocultural Factors and Educational Achievement DeMarrais (1998) described the people of Appalachia as a distinct cultural group who share "a rich cultural heritage that includes a strong sense of kinship, a love of the land, a rich oral tradition, and a commitment to personal freedom and self-reliance" (p. 90). DeMarrais noted that often the commitment to personal freedom and self-reliance that is a prominent part of this culture can also lead to cultural and personal isolation. For example, Jones (1975/1987) acknowledged that We [Appalachian people] are inclined to try to do everything ourselves, find our own way when we are lost on the road, or sutler through when we are in great need. We don't like to ask others tor help. The value of self-reliance is often stronger than the desire to get help. (p. 510) This fierce sense of independence may serve as an important asset for Appalachian students who are planning to attend college. However, self-reliance to an extreme, along with cultural isolation, may serve to negatively affect the willingness of Appalachian students to seek help for their career-related concerns from teachers or counselors. …