Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the career decision making difficulties of high school students differ according to grade level, gender, perceived academic achievement, perceived social-economic level, decided and undecided students, and confidence levels of decision. The sample consisted of 508 students from 9th, 426 students from 10th, 349 students from 11th, 477 students from 12th grade, and the total was 1760 high school students. Revised Form of Career Decision Making Difficulties Questionnaire for high school students (CDMDQ-THR; Bacanlı, Doğan & Hamamcı, 2012) and Personal Information Form were used to collect data. MANOVA and t-test were used to analyze data. The results indicated that females’ scores on the CDDQ-THSR total scale, lack of readiness subscale, lack of information subscale and inconsistent information subscale were significantly lower than those of males. As the females’ grade level increased, the career decision-making difficulties scores on the CDDQ-THSR total scale, lack of readiness subscale, lack of information subscale and inconsistent information subscale scores significantly decreased than those of males. Moreover, results showed that as socioeconomic status and severity of difficulties increase the career decision making difficulty scores decrease for all scales of all students. In addition, these career decision-making difficulties scores for all scales of the decided students are significantly lower than those of the undecided students. The results of the study were discussed in relation to literature and suggestions for the future studies were made

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