A Meta-Analysis of the Correlates of Educational and Vocational Goals for Latina/o Students

Abstract

Among Latina/o Americans, the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population, disparities exist in educational and career attainment. The emergence of research on Latina/o students has resulted in varied findings that make it difficult to draw conclusions as to which predictors are most closely associated with goal outcomes for this population. Using meta-analytic techniques, the current study examined the magnitude, direction, and heterogeneity of effect sizes across multiple educational and vocational goal outcomes for Latina/o students (i.e., educational/vocational aspirations, expectations, goals/plans, and persistence). Across 34 independent samples from 33 studies, career-related self-efficacy, peer support, adult support, barriers, and Anglo acculturation had moderate effects on at least one of the outcomes, with career-related self-efficacy and peer support being moderately related to two or more outcomes. If replicated, this research suggests that interventions focused on career-related self-efficacy and peer support could enhance the development of educational and career goals for Latina/o students.

A Meta-Analysis of the Antecedents of Career Commitment

“…Since the present study was mainly aimed at examining the relations between career commitment and its antecedents, Pearson's correlation (r) was applied as the effect size index when combining data across individual studies (Risco et al, 2017). The mean effect size was initially calculated for each independent and dependent variable combination.…”

“…Whitener (1990) suggested that if a credibility interval is large and includes zero, it is likely that potential moderators are operating in the relation. Following Martincin and Stead (2014) and Risco et al (2017), we also reported the Q-statistic for each corrected correlation, which illustrated the likelihood of unexplored systematic variance across the studies. When a Q-statistic is significant, evidence is provided that moderators are present (Hunter & Schmidt, 2004).…”

“…According to Risco et al (2017), sample size may have an influence on effect size heterogeneity; namely, when an effect size is calculated from a small number of primary studies, the homogeneity of the effect size is likely to be decreased. To some extent, this could be used to explain why some variables (K < 10) had significant Q-statistics, meaning that the accuracy of between-study variance…”

Impact of Innovative Technology-Related Interventions on K–12 Students' STEM Career-Related Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis

“…Recently-published meta-analysis studies have investigated the impacts of career choice interventions on career outcomes (Whiston, Li, Mitts, & Wright, 2017); the relationship between sources of self-efficacy and STEM efficacy beliefs (Sheu et al, 2018); the relationship between environmental barriers and supports and career development (Brown et al, 2018); correlates of career goal outcomes for Latino/a students (Risco, O'Brien, Grivel, & Castro, 2019); and the impacts of innovative mathematics and science teaching on science career interest (Savelsbergh et al, 2016). These studies have included some elements of interest to the current studysuch as a focus on career outcomes and career outcomes for underrepresented populations-but this study investigates the links between STEM interventions and STEM career outcomes, directly.…”

Latinx adolescents’ ethnic-racial discrimination and expected future barriers over time.

“…This question is important, as expectations to face discrimination in their future occupations (e.g., future career barriers) have been shown to deter Latinx youths’ career aspirations and compromise their career goals (Holloway-Friesen, 2018; McWhirter et al, 2013). A meta-analysis of Latinx high school and college students' educational and vocational goals showed that contextual barriers perceived to constrain opportunity were associated with less persistence (attitudes, behaviors, and decisions) toward the pursuit of career goals (Risco et al, 2019). In a study of diverse ethnic and racial minority youth, anticipating racism in the workplace was negatively associated with career decision-making efficacy and expected vocational success, ultimately having a negative impact on career goals (Conkel-Ziebell et al, 2019).…”