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The Influence of Parents on Adolescents’ Vocational Aspirations

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The family background, especially the parents, plays a significant role in vocational development and occupational achievement. To date, very little is known about the influence of family background on occupational ambitions or goals. This study aims to explore how parents and their educational background influence the status (prestige) of adolescents’ vocational aspirations. Therefore, we surveyed students of lower secondary education in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Aiming to explain variances in the students’ occupational ambitions, we analysed path models based on the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) by Lent et al. (1994). Our data support basic assumptions of the SCCT. Thus, we could verify the impact of students’ past performances (grades) on their occupational ambitions, mediated by self-efficacy and outcome expectations. In addition, we found that family background, mothers in particular, influences occupational ambitions.

Source: Social Science Open Access Repository (GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences)

DOI: 10.48439/wr94yx03

Authors: Schulze Niehoff, Adele, Arndt, Laura, Baumgarten, Melanie, Jahn, Robert W., Porsch, Raphaela

Institutions: Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, University of Vechta

Language: English

Topic: Career Development and Diversity

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W7140308079

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