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An exploratory study on the relationship between parents’ career interests and the career interests of young adults

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Abstract

In this study, we attempt to investigate the potential effects of parents’ career interests on young adults’ career interests. Using a sample of 113 freshmen in Hong Kong, results indicated that after controlling for personality, gender, general mental abilities and emotional intelligence, some of the parents’ career interests were still related to the young adults’ respective career interests. For some types of interests, the extent of influences is found to be contingent on the gender of the respondents. Implications are discussed.

Résumé

Une étude exploratoire sur le lien entre les intérêts de carrière des parents et les intérêts de carrière des jeunes adultes. Dans cette étude, nous avons tenté d’investiguer les effets potentiels des intérêts de carrière des parents sur les intérêts de carrière des jeunes adultes. Sur la base d’un échantillon de 113 étudiants universitaire en première année à Hong Kong, les résultats indiquaient que certains intérêts de carrière des parents étaient en lien avec les intérêts de carrière respectifs des jeunes adultes, et ce, après avoir contrôlé pour la personnalité, le genre, les aptitudes mentales générales et l’intelligence émotionnelle. Pour certains types d’intérêts, l’étendue des influences varie selon le genre des répondants. Les implications sont discutées.

Zusammenfassung

Eine explorative Studie über die Beziehung zwischen beruflichen Interessen von Eltern und den beruflichen Interessen von jungen Erwachsenen. In dieser Studie haben wir die möglichen Auswirkungen der beruflichen Interessen von Eltern auf die beruflichen Interessen von jungen Erwachsenen untersucht. Anhand einer Stichprobe von 113 Studienanfängern in Hong Kong deuten die Ergebnisse darauf hin, dass nach Kontrolle von Persönlichkeit, Geschlecht, allgemeinen geistigen Fähigkeiten und emotionaler Intelligenz, einige der beruflichen Interessen von Eltern immer noch mit den entsprechenden beruflichen Interessen der jungen Erwachsenen in Verbindung stehen. Für einige Arten von Interessen ist das Ausmaß der Einflüsse abhängig vom Geschlecht der Befragten. Implikationen werden diskutiert.

Resumen

Un estudio exploratorio sobre la relación entre los intereses profesionales de los padres y los de los adultos jóvenes. En este estudio nos propusimos investigar el efecto que pueden tener los intereses profesionales de los padres sobre los intereses profesionales de sus hijos (adultos jóvenes). Utilizando una muestra de 113 estudiantes de primer curso de universidad en Hong Kong, los resultados indicaron que después de controlar las variables de personalidad, género, capacidades intelectuales generales e inteligencia emocional, algunos de los intereses de los padres aún se relacionaban con los intereses respectivos de los jóvenes adultos. Para algunos tipos de intereses, el grado de influencia depende del género de los informantes. Se discuten las implicaciones.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China

    Chi-Sum Wong

  2. Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China

    Ping-Man Wong

  3. Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China

    Kelly Z. Peng

Authors
  1. Chi-Sum Wong
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  2. Ping-Man Wong
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  3. Kelly Z. Peng
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Correspondence to Chi-Sum Wong.

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Wong, CS., Wong, PM. & Peng, K.Z. An exploratory study on the relationship between parents’ career interests and the career interests of young adults. Int J Educ Vocat Guidance 11, 39–53 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-011-9190-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-011-9190-7

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