Parent and Peer Attachment: Relationship to Women's Career Commitment and Choice

This study examined how women's secure attachment to mother, father, friend, and romantic partner relates to commitment to a career and traditionality of career choice. Career choices were considered traditional if the profession consisted of 66% or more women (i.e. elementary school teaching); neutral if women made up 33% to 65% of the workforce (i.e. secondary school teaching); and nontraditional if women made up 32% or less of the workforce in that profession (i.e. engineering professions) (Bureau of the Census, 1996). The study attempted to replicate and extend findings by O'Brien and Fassinger (1993) who found attachment to mother to be related to career orientation. Questionnaires that assessed demographic information; attachment to mother, father, friend, and romantic partner; and career commitment were completed by 202 women, 101 in engineering, 101 in education. Findings indicated that attachment to fathers relates positively to career commitment; attachment to mothers is characteristic of women in traditional careers; and attachment to friends and partners are positively related to career commitment for women with partners. Previous findings were not supported.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Giurleo, Susan M.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Farmer, Helen S.

• Education, Guidance and Counseling

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9944861

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/80322