Career Indecision: A Family Systems Perspective

Abstract

In existing theories of vocational development career indecision is generally attributed to character deficits in the young adult. The authors present an alternative, family systems perspective on career indecision. Also, they speculate on the family patterns that contribute to career indecisiveness and on the functions that this problem may serve within the larger family network.

Psychological Separation and Dimensions of Career Indecision in Secondary School Students

“…In a similar way, Zingaro (1983) pointed out that subjects who presented pronounced difficulties in the career-choice process seem to evidence an undifferentiated self and a high degree of intergenerational fusion between parents and children (Bowen, 1978). Also using a systemic framework, Lopez and Andrews (1987) considered that career development and choice in adolescence cannot be separated from two important developmental tasks of this period: the construction of identity and psychological separation from the family. They emphasize how problems in the differentiation of the adolescent's self from the family system can be manifest as career indecision.…”

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Lopez and Andrews (1987) interpreted career indecision as an indicator of the inadequate psychological separation of adolescents from their parents. However, various empirical studies have not managed to clearly demonstrated evidence of a relationship between systemic family variables and career indecision.

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“…The research carried out on Lopez and Andrews' (1987) propositions sought to analyze the relationships between family interactions and the career-decision process, especially career indecision. Eigen, Hartman, and Hartman (1987) used the circumplex model of Olson, Sprenkle, and Russel (1979) to analyze the family interaction patterns of a sample of participants classified as decided, developmental undecided, and chronic undecided.…”

“…Following Lopez and Andrews' (1987) premises, we tested the hypothesis that low levels of psychological separation relate to high levels of developmental and generalized career indecision.…”

“…Although Lopez and Andrews (1987) did not speculate about gender differences, some studies have highlighted differences between men and women regarding the influence that systemic factors may play in the emergence and maintenance of career indecision (Lopez, 1989;Whinston, 1996). Simultaneously, research has ascertained the existence of gender differences in two of the variables used in this study, with women normally demonstrating lower levels of psychological separation regarding parental figures (Allen & Stoltenberg, 1995;Lapsley et al, 1989;Lopez, 1989;Lucas, 1997;Thomason & Winer, 1994), which seems to stress the importance of significant personal relationships and attachments in the process of female socialization (Gilligan, 1982;Josselsson, 1988) and higher levels of generalized indecision Lewis & Savickas, 1995).…”