Occupational Aspirations of Selected Appalachian Youth

Abstract

This study examines the concepts that Appalachian youth have concerning their probable life work. After comparing and contrasting these students with a group of native and Appalachian migrant students in an Ohio city, the following results were noted: ( a) Appalachian youth who stay in the' geographic area have a significantly lower aspirational level than do those students who are native to a rurban area; (b) the Appalachian youth have different personal role models and characteristics for success than those students who have migrated from the Appalachian area; (c) one of the major problems in raising the occupational aspirations of Appalachian students appears to be lack of information and opportunity rather than lack of ability.

Occupational Aspirations of Normal and Emotionally Disturbed Adolescents: A Comparative Study

“…The results of this study seem to substantiate Telford and Sawrey's (1977) description of disabled individuals, that is, that disabled persons maintain their aspirations at a low level, or that their level of occupational aspiration vacillates. In addition, the results are compatible with previous research that found that atypical individuals have lower occupational aspirations than their "normal" peers (Burnstein, 1963;Davids & Whyte, 1958;Gruen, 1945;Harnett, 1969;Himelweit, 1947;Mahone, 1960;Small, 1953;Stephenson, 1955;Stevie & Uhlig, 1967;Tseng & Carter, 1970;Wilson, 1953). The vocational students' level of occupational aspirations was puzzling and unpredictable.…”

Vocational Development of Rural Disadvantaged Eighth‐Grade Boys

“…Since the study area is remote, lacking in occupational opportunities, and populated by people with relatively low educational attainments, one might expect vocational immaturity and low aspirations. Considering the finding that students in an Appalachian high school had lower OAS scores than two sam-ples of high school students in Ohio [9], one can conclude that, either important differences existed between that Appalachian sample and the present sample, or aspirations of Appalachian Kentucky boys drop after the eighth ,grade. O'Hara's study [6] suggests that self-concepts are clarified as boys pass through grades 9 to 12.…”

“…This finding indicates that perhaps Eastern Kentucky Eighth-Grade boys do not have low occupational aspirations. Stevie and Uhlig [9] found a sample of Eastern Kentucky High School students to have significantly lower aspirations than two Ohio samples. Perhaps boys growing up in Appalachia begin to realize during the high school years that occupational opportunities are scarce in their home counties, causing their vocational selfconcepts and aspirations to drop.…”

“…Stevie and Uhlig [9] found a sample of high school students in an Appalachian Kentucky school to have lower occupational aspirations than either a sample of Ohio natives or a sample of Appalachian Kentucky migrants to Ohio. Schwarzweller [7] found Eastern Kentucky (in Appalachia) high school senior boys to be more uncertain about their career plans than Central Kentucky high school senior boys.…”

The Vocational Aspirations of the Disadvantaged American Girl

“…On the other hand, little has been done in this realm with the lower class child. In a study by Stevic and Uhlig (1967), it was learned that poverty class young people, at least in the Southeast United States, have vocational values different from those normally expected. This study will investigate the situation as it pertains to young people from other geographic areas, of varying racial origins, and of different cultural groups and educational attainment levels.The Job Corps, an activity of the Office of Economic Opportunity, offers a unique opportunity for investigation of disadvantaged young people's vocational desires.…”