In senior classes at school the graduate faces the task of professional self-determination. The effectiveness of professional self-determination is assessed by the degree of consistency of psychological and personal abilities with the requirements set by a profession. Among many factors of career choice (professional preferences, social and economic factors, inner readiness to changes in life and career growth, etc.) the parents’ position is one of the leading ones. Furthermore, professional self-determination of adolescents can become for the older generation a peculiar tool to achieve their own unachieved professional goals, an attempt to reach certain ideals, following prejudice, etc. Obviously it is necessary to study more closely professional self-determination process specifics for modern senior high school students and influence of their parents’ position on the choice of professional development direction.
Psychological content of self-determination which became the object of study in the works of B.G. Ananyev, S.L. Rubinstein, M.R. Ginsburg and others, takes the central place in the process of formation of a personality capable of independent building-up of its own life activity. L.I. Bozhovich [1] also distinguishes self-determination as one of the most important personal innovations, which is underlied by awareness of the personality of its new publicly significant position. K.A. Abulkhanova, one of the most important facets of the psychology of consciousness and self-realization of a person in life, sees the ability to freely determine the events of her own life, to regulate them, relying on internal determination [2]. G.P. Nikov and V.F. Safin [3], having somewhat narrowed the notion of self-determination, nevertheless regard it as an indispensable part of the personal structure, which is expressed in the ability of independent choice of principles and methods of activity. For A.K. Markova [4] the basis in this process is self-consciousness and choice of self-attitude criteria as a determinant of the professional success. Thus self-determination process, representing a mechanism of differentiation and at the same time of increasing the ego-personality integrity on the basis of increasing awareness, is the leading development line during adolescence.
The problem of professional self-determination is also presented by a wide range of research. Thus, N.S. Pryazhnikov [5] reveals it as determination of itself by a personality as related to publicly developed professionalism criteria, which sets the direction for solving development tasks in adolescence. D.A. Leontyev [6] in this connection emphasizes that it represents “an event which radically changes future course of the person’s life”.
M.R. Ginsburg, N.S. Pryazhnikov, E.A. Klimov and others indicate that professional self-determination is a long-term and active process of comprehension by a personality of the essence of the work performed and future life activity in real social-economic situation [7, 8, 9]. V.S. Gorgoma adds that professional self-determination in adolescence is a process of formation of a certain attitude to professional and occupational environment by a personality, as well as a means of self-actualization, agreement of intrapersonal and social-professional needs [10]. M.V. Retivykh thinks its main characteristics are self-sufficiency, awareness of choice and practical readiness to realization of intentions and aims related to the profession [11]. E.M. Borisova understands professional self-determination as self-actualization of a personality in professional activities with independent use of knowledge, skills and habit patterns, as well as of psychic and particularly individual abilities [12]. According to V.A. Polyakov, professional self-determination is the choice of the future profession, demonstration of personal potential, formation of practical independent attitude to professional conditions [13]. N.V. Nesterov notes that this particular process is the basis for completion of the person’s socialization, receiving freedom and independence [14].
A.N. Bodalev, A.A. Derkach, E.A. Klimov put a comprehensive study of the process of life-creation, in which mastering a profession has one of the key positions, at the leading place among modern acmeological research. The authors associate high professionalism with the social and psychological well-being of the state [15]. As the content of professional self-determination process E.A. Klimov distinguishes three elements: motivation (object-specific needs and motivation), psychological (the complex of psychological individual personal specific features) and social-economic (general awareness of the personality about the chosen profession; economic situation in the world and the country; a thought-out personal professional plan and demand in certain professional personnel).
Therefore, having deep personal motivation determinants, professional self-determination is the process of comprehension of the person’s attitude to the actual situation of social and professional development, during which formation of personal and professional goals, values and meaning of existence takes place.
One of the leading factors in professional choice in adolescence is the peculiarities of parent-child relationships. This aspect was studied in the works of A.E. Golomshtok, L.A. Golovey, E.A. Klimov, V.N. Druzhinin and others. In recent studies, it is also widely represented. Thus, N.A. Aleksandrova shows the influence on the professional self-determination of young men of the attitude of parents to work, their own choice of profession, a subjective view of the professional future of their children [16]. O.A. Karabanova, studying the connection between the parent-child relations of young men with the status of identity in professional self-determination, found that the path to the achieved identity is characterized by the revision of the established values in parent-child relationships by young men and temporary opposition to them with the support of the parents of the right to independent life choice [17]. Similar data were obtained by T.M. Konshina and T.Yu. Sadovnikova: the formed professional identity corresponds to a more “healthy” (reliable) type of attachment to the mother [18]. At the same time, for high school students emotional support from parents is more important than their “instrumental” participation in the selection process [19].
During adolescence the adopted mindsets, positions and values are reconsidered and rethought through the lens of own perception. The person’s own unique world view appears, which reflects values adopted in the process of socialization, including that under the influence of parental attitude. S.L. Rubinstein [20] explained a value as a certain idea, thought, which defines the direction of external and internal activity of a person. The values are adopted in the course of upbringing through translation by the parents of various models of their own values, which the child remembers and copies. A.D. Andreyeva has discovered, that parental ideas of goals and tasks of the child’s development represent stable formations and are based on stereotypes, cultural traditions of the society and own life experience [21]. They are further transformed in the child’s consciousness under the influence of various public institutions, media, youth subcultures, etc., reconsidered and integrated into own value and conceptual system, which subsequently determines the entire process of professional self-determination. The value-semantic sphere is considered as the core component of professional perspectives in the works of T.M. Konshina, N.S. Pryazhnikov, T.Yu. Sadovnikova [22]. So, for example, in the study of N.S. Pryazhnikov, S.V. Molchanov, K.A. Kirsanov, the role of the value factor in the success of professional self-determination of adolescents is confirmed: in particular, the values of achievement and independence of thoughts and actions correspond to a high status in the sphere of professional identity [23].
The influence of children-parental relationships specifics on professional self-determination of adolescents is reflected by the notion “parental direction” – subconscious or conscious attitude to the child, which is based on assessing his/her individual specific features, behavior, and which directs the parents’ upbringing activities. Parental directions form the life scenario of the child’s personality, which, according to E. Bern’s expression, “with great force pushes the person forward, toward his destiny, and very often is independent from his resistance or free choice”. We can suppose that this also refers to the professional choice. The influence of parental directions can be regarded as a helping factor, as well as limitation of the adolescent’s self-understanding, his/her personal self-determination and demonstration of independence.
Apart from parental directions, one of the main factors of choosing the future profession is children-parental relationships themselves. At present there is a detailed description of various types of parents’ attitude to children, such as: acceptance/ denial; psychological autonomy/ psychological control (E.S. Shefer); positive attitude/ hostility; autonomy/ directiveness (S. Schluderman, E. Schluderman); positive emotional contact/ excessive emotional distance – excessive concentration on the child (E.S. Shefer, R.K. Bell); acceptance/cooperation/symbiosis and denial/attitude to failures/ authoritarian hypersocialization (A.Ya. Varga), etc.
According to the definition of T.V. Petrova [24], children-parental relationships are the process of interaction of parents and children performing the functions defined by the society and having mutual responsibility before each other. It is the character of such relationships that creates a special psychological and emotional atmosphere, which renders direct influence upon the personality development, which conditions professional self-determination.
Research objective: to study the influence of children-parental relationships specifics on professional self-determination in early adolescence.
Research subject: interrelation of children-parental relationships character and professional self-determination in early adolescence.
Hypothesis: there is a correlation between children-parental relationships peculiarities and professional self-determination specifics in early adolescence. We suppose that parental attitude as a system of feelings to the child, behavioral patterns used in communication with the child, specifics of perception and understanding of the child’s personality is the factor of value system formation, and during adolescence it can mediate the process of professional self-determination, optimizing or destabilizing it.
Research methods: questionnaire on parental attitude, A.Ya. Varga and V.V. Stolin; method “Value orientation”, M. Rokich; questionnaire “Parental influence on the process of professional self-determination in adolescence”; diagnostic complex “The World of Professionals” (T.Ye. Fedoseyeva, N.N. Kuimova, D.V. Zharova).
Participants of the research: 79 students of grades 10–11 of Nizhny Novgorod secondary general school, age 16–18 years. Number of respondents – 79, girls – 49 (62 %), boys – 30 (38 %).
Research results and their discussion
We used the results of the questionnaire “Parental influence on the process of professional self-determination in adolescence” in order to distinguish the groups of respondents with various expression of professional self-determination. The questionnaire is aimed at investigation of factors which influence the choice of professional career, the role of parents in this process, parents’ attitude to the freedom of career choice by adolescents, clarification of typical difficulties during self-determination. According to the questionnaire data, the number of professionally self-determined respondents is 39 % (group 1). The number of respondents who are not determined with the career choice is 61 % (group 2). Furthermore, for 47 % the process of choosing the professional development sphere is not completed yet, and 14 % have not seriously considered choosing the career. Presumably, these respondents are grade 10 students who don’t have the urgent need to make the future career choice, and who have a whole another year at school.
The choice of professional development direction of group 1 respondents was influenced by such factors as personal interest and own perception of the profession – 84 %; knowledge/ comprehension of additional benefits of the profession, such as paid vacation, joint events with the staff and others – 42 %. The less significant for such respondents is profession popularity – 6 %; profession specifics such as business trips, change of location, etc. – 3 %. High salary factor is not dominant for group 1 respondents, which speaks of the freedom of choice priority. For group 2 respondents the dominant answers are connected with the opinion of parents – 73 %, high salary for the future job – 48 %. Less significant are additional benefits – 8 % and profession specifics – 4 %.
Respondents from both groups actively discuss their professional future with their parents. Furthermore, in the first group 55 % of respondents do this all the time, which probably optimizes the process of self-determination. In the second group rare talks dominate – 54 %. Herewith the parents of group 1 adolescents approve their choice and give the freedom of professional choice (29 % and 45 % respectively), and there are no respondents to whom the parents actively impose their own opinion. For group 2 parents options of active imposing of their own opinion and negative attitude equally dominate – 29 %, which speaks of strict parental control. 10 % of parents of group 2 adolescents have positive attitude to the freedom of choice of their future career.
Respondents from both groups mention difficulties when making career choice (61 % of group 1 respondents and 88 % of group 2 respondents). This is evidently related to understanding of seriousness and significance of the choice made, fear to make a mistake, and for group 2 respondents also to insufficiency of instrumental component of activity for its realization.
An interesting fact is that in group 1 there is a predominant number of respondents who, when choosing the future profession, defer to their parents’ opinion – 48 %, or consider it important – 32 %. The option of complete independence of choice is true only for 6 %. Most likely it emphasizes existing cooperation with parents, as well as that in this group there are no adolescents who ignore their parents’ opinion.
Adolescents considering themselves completely independent in career choice dominate in group 2 (35 %), as well as those who ignore their parents’ opinion – 25 %. This is probably related to unrealistic optimism, absence of information and interest to their own future and charging off responsibility to the circumstances.
The differences that we discovered in factors of children-parental relationships for parents of adolescents of polar groups are given in table 1.
Table 1
Significant differences in factors of parental attitude for respondents of polar groups by Wilcoxon T-criterion
|
Factors of parental attitude |
Group 1 |
Group 2 |
(р) |
||
|
М |
d |
М |
d |
||
|
Acceptance – denial |
29,48 |
7,57 |
16,12 |
5,64 |
<0,05 |
|
Cooperation |
7,16 |
3,17 |
6,45 |
2,42 |
|
|
Symbiosis |
2,33 |
0,76 |
6,83 |
1,37 |
<0,05 |
|
Authoritarian hypersocialization |
4,94 |
1,74 |
5,19 |
2,32 |
|
|
Little looser |
1,78 |
0,52 |
6,77 |
2,58 |
<0,05 |
Significant differences are observed in three scales: “acceptance – denial”, “symbiosis” and “little looser”. Thus in “acceptance – denial” scale parents of group 1 adolescents are more accepting than the parents of group 2, they have positive feelings to the children and spend enough time with them (which is confirmed by the results of interview with adolescents).
In “symbiosis” scale the parents of group 2 adolescents have significantly higher (maximum high) score than the parents of group 1 adolescents, which should indicate the following: they are absolutely not prone to establishing a psychological distance in communication with the child, they try to satisfy all his needs. However this immediately gives rise to our doubts, since it does not correspond to the data of the children’s questionnaire. The parents of group 1 adolescents also show sufficiently high score in this scale, but it is not maximum, which evidently reflects the real picture of children-parental relationships, in which the parents reasonably satisfy the child’s needs and accept the child.
“Little looser” scale demonstrates the real state of things: the parents of group 2 adolescents continue to feel about their grown-up children as of unserious goslings, whose interests, feelings and hobbies are considered insignificant and due to this are ignored. The parents of group 1 on the contrary regard failures of their children accidental, surmountable, believe in them and take their opinions and feelings seriously.
Furthermore we observed absence of significant differences in scales “cooperation” and “authoritarian hypersocialization”. The parents of group 2 respondents, according to the data, are interested in the children’s life and encourage their self-sufficiency. However we can doubt that based on the results of the questionnaire, where the adolescents state the opposite. The parents of group 2 also do not admit their authoritarianism, but practically proclaim that there is almost no control of the child’s actions (probably, this is how they justify their indifference to their child’s plans for the future or their incompetence in the sphere of professional self-determination of adolescents). In all likelihood, the results obtained by us can be explained by high social desirability of behavior of group 2 respondents’ parents, who do not wish to confess to themselves and to the others that they often have negative feelings to their child: annoyance, anger, vexation, and think that the child is unable to achieve success in the future.
Thus, children-parental relationships differ for the adolescents who have made their professional choice and for those who have not. In the second group they are more directive.
We have discovered significant differences in the structure of value orientation for group 1 and group 2 respondents.
Performing qualitative evaluation of the structure of significant values-aims for the sample group of adolescents from group 1, we can admit that the most significant for it are an interesting job (М = 3,58), health (М = 5,34) and self-confidence (М = 6,81). Also the priorities in group 1 are love (М = 7,23), active social life and happy family life (М = 7,58), good and true friends (М = 8,07), material security (8,49), learning and intellectual development (М = 8,76). The least significant for group 1 are life wisdom (М = 16,72), public recognition (М = 15,62), equal opportunities (М = 14,63) and the beauty of nature and art (М = 14,41). The low rank was also given to such values as productive life (М = 13,68), happiness of others (М = 12,99), development (М = 11,79) and independence of opinions, judgments and valuations (М = 11,67).
In the second group of respondents the most significant just like for group 1 is the terminal value health (М = 3,83); love (М = 4,61), happy family life (М = 4,93), material security (М = 5,17). The priority values, like in group 1, are good and true friends (М = 7,59), an interesting job (М = 8,47), pleasures (М = 9,33) and productive life (М = 10,35). The least significant values are self-confidence (М = 16,58), freedom of actions (М = 15,88), life wisdom (М = 15,78) (like for group 1 respondents), equal opportunities (М = 15,73), creative activity (М = 15,55) and active productive life (М = 15,37). Low rank was given to such values as beauty of nature and art (М = 13,89), like for group 1 – happiness of others (М = 13,42), development (М = 12,04) and productive life (М = 10,35) just like for group 1 respondents.
Giving qualitative assessment to the structure of significant values-aims for group 1 and 2 respondents we can admit that one of the most significant values for them is health (Р < 0,05).
Thus analyzing the structure of terminal values, group 1 (self-determined) has five statistically significant differences. For group 1 reliably more significant are an interesting job (Р < 0,05), self-confidence (Р < 0,01). While for group 2 the most expressed values are love (Р < 0,05), happy family life (Р < 0,05) and material security (Р < 0,05).
Statistically significant differences between the compared groups indicate that for group 1 respondents the most characteristic are an interesting job and self-confidence, which means emphasis of their personality on getting satisfaction from their profession and not restraining their personality in limited boundaries as relates to thoughts, feelings, openness to others. At the same time the pattern of values in group 2 is related to the priority of values-aims “for oneself”: love, happy family life and material security. In my opinion, they reflect personal orientation on the family with the emphasis on high salary, in other words, the priority is given to the family and not to the job, which is also supported by absence of interest.
There are also differences in the structure of instrumental values. Ranging results show that group 1 respondents tend to prefer such instrumental values as responsibility (М = 4,67), education (М = 5,28), independence (М = 6,37), courage in persisting in one’s opinion and beliefs (М = 6,45) and rationalism (М = 7,29). This group also gives preference to politeness and good manners (М = 8,74), willpower and orderliness (М = 8,75) and self-control (М = 9,06). The last places in the list of instrumental values for group 1 respondents are given to work efficiency (М = 13,76), tolerance to the opinions of others (М = 12,15), promptness (М = 12,07). Low ranks were also given to open-mindedness (М = 9,79), honesty and sincerity (М = 9,69), vivacity (М = 9,52).
Ranging results show that group 2 respondents tend to prefer such instrumental values as vivacity (М = 5,48); just like group 1 – responsibility (М = 7,41) and independence (М = 7, 46); politeness (good manners) (М = 7,89). This group gives preference to education (М = 8,55), promptness (М = 9,03), courage in persisting in one’s opinions and beliefs (М = 9,05) and orderliness (М = 9,44) (like group 1). The least popular are such instrumental values as sensitivity (attention) (М = 12,76), high requirements to life and pretensions (М = 12,07), willpower (М = 11,81) and uncompromising with own and others faults (М = 11,79). Unpopular are: work efficiency (М = 10,72), open-mindedness (М = 10,44) – like in group 1, tolerance to the opinions of others (М = 10,22), rationalism (М = 10,20) and self-control (М = 10,01).
Giving qualitative assessment to the structure of significant values-aims for group 1 and 2 respondents we can admit that the most significant values for them are responsibility (Р < 0,05), education (Р < 0,05).
Obtained statistical differences indicate that for group 1 respondents the prevailing instrumental values are like the rest – courage in persisting in one’s opinions and beliefs (Р < 0,05) and rationalism (Р < 0,05). This characterizes this group as instrumentally responsible in relation to duties/ tasks, educated with rational thinking, as well as strong and courageous in relation to persisting in one’s opinions. At the same time, for group 2 respondents as compared to group 1 prevailing values are vivacity (Р < 0,05), responsibility (Р < 0,05), education (Р < 0,05) and promptness (Р < 0,05). This proves that the group is educated, has rudiments of leaders or monitors at college, able to admire life.
High level of responsible attitude to formation of professional determination during adolescence is connected with prevailing in the system of terminal values of adolescents of such values as health, an interesting job, self-confidence. The instrumental component of value orientation is characterized by responsibility, education, courage in persisting in one’s opinion and beliefs and rationalism.
Presence in the system of terminal values of not determined respondents of professionally egocentric priority (material security) and choice in favor of a family (love, happy life) along with using leader’s features as means of reaching the goals (responsibility, promptness, education) and ability to admire events in life prevents the process of professional self-determination.
Based upon the method data results I have discovered that group 1 respondents, which is professionally self-determined, is fairly pragmatic, which means it is practically oriented on professional activity having certain qualities for this, which positively affect motivation in profession, this being the formula for the personality success. Group 2 of professionally not self-determined respondents is somewhat childish in relation to future profession, because for them happy family and good salary, which does not depend on the person’s interest to the job, are of higher priority. But this being said, group 2 respondents choose qualities important for the job as the highest value.
We have studied the potential of professional development of a personality of respondents from polar groups. The potential of professional development of a personality is determined by the correlation of the level of development of special abilities and the level of expression of interest in a certain sphere of professional activities [25]. The results of study of potential of professional development for respondents from polar groups are given in table 2.
Table 2
Significant differences in the level of expression of interests and special abilities in various spheres of professional activity for respondents from polar groups
|
Factors of professional development potential |
Group 1 |
Group 2 |
(р) |
||
|
М |
d |
М |
d |
||
|
Expression of interest to profession |
70,68 |
6,37 |
37,49 |
6,65 |
<0,01 |
|
Expression of special abilities |
75,39 |
6,81 |
52,07 |
5,49 |
<0,01 |
Study of significant differences in average values of components of professional development potential has shown that for group 1 respondents awareness of the interest to the profession and expression of special abilities is statistically higher (p < 0,01) than that for group 2 respondents. Furthermore, group 1 adolescents show medium and high levels of interest to the profession and expression of special abilities respectively, and group 2 adolescents show low and medium level respectively.
Findings
Professional self-determination process during adolescence continues to intensify, by 10-11 grade approximately half of adolescents already has a clear professional plan, however 61 % don’t have it. Adolescents having a clear professional development plan when choosing its direction take into account interest to the profession and their knowledge of it, whereas those who don’t have it continue to rely on their parents’ opinion and the amount of salary. Difficulties in professional self-determination process are objectively mentioned by respondents from both groups, whereas group 1 probably mentions them objectively realizing the process complexity. However in group 2 this understanding is even more clearly expressed, and this emphasizes that they have no prejudice in this relation.
Parental attitude for group 1 representatives is characterized by acceptance, positive attitude and interest to the child’s life and activities. They reasonably satisfy the child’s needs, accept the child, consider his/her failures surmountable, believe in their children and take their opinions and feelings seriously, encouraging self-sufficiency. The parents of adolescents from group 2 declare highly accepting position in relation to their children, what contradicts the adolescents’ opinion and “attitude to the child’s failures” scale, which demonstrates that they continue to feel about their grown-up children as of unserious goslings, whose interests, feelings and hobbies are considered insignificant and due to this are ignored. In their opinion control of the child’s actions is almost absent due to indifference to the child’s plans for the future or own incompetence in the sphere of professional self-determination of adolescents, non-acquaintance with dialogue methods. This apparently leads to immaturity of personal and professional self-determination process for group 2 respondents.
Professional self-determination during adolescence is connected with domination of such values in the terminal values system as health, an interesting job, self-confidence. The instrumental component of value orientation is characterized by responsibility, education, courage in persisting in own opinion and beliefs and rationalism.
Presence of egocentric priority in the terminal values system of adolescents who are not professionally self-determined (material security) and choice in favor of a family (love, happy life) together with using leaders features as means for achieving goals (responsibility, promptness, education) along with increased vivacity prevents professional self-determination process.
Respondents whose professional self-determination has not happened yet, having special abilities to a certain sphere of professional activity, expressed at low and medium levels, do not feel expressed interest to it. Obviously, low level of interest to professions can be explained by lack of information about them or lack of professional tests. It is possible that correctly arranged psychological and pedagogical guidance in career orientation for group 2 students could create conditions necessary for awakening professional interests and inclinations.
Conclusion
Having carried out a theoretical analysis of professional self-determination problem, as well as an empirical study of its assumed determinants, we were able to determine that the parents’ attitude as a system of feelings to the child, behavioral patterns used in communication with the child, specifics of perception and understanding of the child’s personality is the factor of value system formation for children, and during adolescence it can mediate the process of professional self-determination, optimizing or destabilizing it.
Библиографическая ссылка
Fedoseyeva Т.Е., Ivanova I.А., Korobova А.V. INFLUENCE OF CHILDREN-PARENTAL RELATIONSHIPS ON PROFESSIONAL SELF-DETERMINATION IN EARLY ADOLESCENCE // European Journal of Natural History. – 2020. – № 6. – С. 17-24;URL: https://world-science.ru/ru/article/view?id=34135 (дата обращения: 22.11.2024).