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Development of a brief measure of career development influences based on the Systems Theory Framework of Career Development

Bridgstock, Ruth S. (2007) Development of a brief measure of career development influences based on the Systems Theory Framework of Career Development. Australian Journal of Career Development 16(3):pp. 19-30.

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Abstract

This paper documents the initial development and validation of a brief quantitative measure of career development influences based on the Systems Theory Framework of career development (McMahon & Patton, 1995; Patton & McMahon, 1997, 1999, 2006). Initial exploratory factor analyses of pilot study data revealed a six factor structure based on 20 of the 28 influences. A subsequent confirmatory factor analysis procedure using SEM revealed a fundamentally stable factor structure across the two different populations tested, although some further modifications were made to the scale. The final 19 item scale identified five correlated factors, of which three were within the framework’s individual system, one was within the social system, and one was within the environmental-societal system. In the final section of the paper, the theoretical implications of this factorial structure and the importance of the 'world of work knowledge' influence are addressed. The utility of the career development influences scale as a brief measure to contextualise more targeted measures in large scale quantitative career development studies is discussed.

Item Type:Journal Article
Status:Published
Keywords:career development, systems theory, systems theory framework of career development, scale development, career development influences, SEM, structural equation modelling, confirmatory factor analysis
Subjects:380000 Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences > 380100 Psychology > 380108 Industrial and Organisational Psychology
330000 Education > 330100 Education Studies > 330101 Educational Psychology
380000 Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences > 380100 Psychology > 380105 Social and Community Psychology
ID Code:7923
Deposited By:Bridgstock, Ruth
Deposited On:30 May 2007
Alternative Locations:http://www.acer.edu.au/ajcd/, http://search.informit.com.au/browseJournalTitle;subject=Health;res=E-LIBRARY;issn=1038-4162
Copyright Owner:Copyright 2007 Australian Council for Educational Research
Copyright Statement:This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the ACER journal. It is not a copy of the record.