Family Influences on College Students’ Occupational Identity

The occupational identity statuses of 232 college students were analyzed by examining their family emotional environment and the identity control processes that drive career decision making. Results of multivariate analysis showed that each family differentiation construct, family tolerance for connectedness, and separateness explained significant variance in the achievement, foreclosure, moratorium, and diffusion of occupational identity statuses. Additionally, this study provides a foundation for career counseling intervention in which adolescents struggling with occupational issues may benefit from career interventions that respond not only to the nature of their decisions but also to the family dynamics present during their decision-making process.