NCJ Number
53881
Date Published
1976
Length
100 pages
Annotation
THE CAREER MATURITY LEVELS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE COURT ARE EXAMINED IN THIS STUDY OF 130 MASSACHUSETTS YOUTH.
Abstract
CAREER MATURITY IS DEFINED AS THE TERM WHICH DENOTES THE PLACE ON THE CONTINUUM OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT FROM THE TIME OF EARLY FANTASY CHOICES IN CHILDHOOD TO DECISIONS ABOUT RETIREMENT FROM WORK IN OLD AGE. VOCATIONAL MATURITY MAY BE USED AS A SYNONYM FOR CAREER MATURITY. THE GENERAL RESEARCH QUESTION OF THIS STUDY WAS AS FOLLOWS: WHETHER THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CAREER MATURITY OF 11TH AND 12TH GRADE ADOLESCENTS WHO ARE UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE COURT AND A GROUP OF 11TH AND 12TH GRADE ADOLESCENTS IN THE GENERAL POPULATION? THE STUDY'S SAMPLE INCLUDED 30 ADOLESCENTS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE COURT OF CENTRAL MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASS. AND 100 COMPARABLE STUDENTS FROM A LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL. THE DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS WERE THREE: (1) THE CAREER MATURITY INVENTORY, (2) THE OTIS-LENNON MENTAL ABILITY TEST, AND (3) THE TWO FACTOR INDEX OF SOCIAL POSITION. ANALYSIS OF COVARIANCE WAS CHOSEN AS THE STATISTICAL TOOL. PRIOR TO DATA ANALYSIS, SCORES ON THE THREE TESTS WERE CONVERTED TO STANDARD SCORES. THE RESUTS OF THE INVESTIGATION INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ADOLESCENTS WHO WERE UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE COURT AND THOSE WHO WERE NOT. ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IS URGED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: DEVELOPMENT OF PROCEDURES TO INCREASE CAREER KNOWLEDGE, PLANNING, AND DECISIONMAKING SKILLS OF COURT ACQUAINTED YOUTH; LONGITUDINAL INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE CAREER BEHAVIOR OF COURT ACQUAINTED YOUTH; REPLICATION OF THIS STUDY USING LARGER SAMPLES; AND ESTABLISHMENT OF LOCAL NORMATIVE DATA FOR ADOLESCENTS IN THE AREA SERVED BY THE COURT OF CENTRAL MIDDLESEX COUNTY. TABLES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PRESENTED. (MLC)