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Predicting College Women's Career Plans: Instrumentality, Work, and Family

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Journal of Career Development

Published online on

Abstract

This study examined how college women’s instrumentality and expectations about combining work and family predicted early career development variables. Specifically, 177 undergraduate women completed measures of instrumentality (i.e., traits such as ambition, assertiveness, and risk taking), willingness to compromise career for family, anticipated work–family conflict, traditionality of career choice, leadership aspirations, and occupational engagement. High levels of instrumentality were associated with strong leadership aspirations and occupational engagement. An inverse relationship emerged between the selection of a more traditional career and less anticipation that work would interfere with time spent with family, and a positive relationship emerged between high leadership aspirations and more anticipation that family would be a strain on work. Additionally, anticipating that work would interfere with time spent with family had a positive relationship with occupational engagement. Findings are discussed, and recommendations for career counseling for young women are provided.