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Chapter 1

Introduction

Background of the Study

It is indeed hard for each individual to choose and perhaps, choosing might be the

most difficult activity that a person will do most especially at the stage of adolescence; where

there are vast of influences in the surroundings. Also, it is said by many that choosing a

future occupation is one of the most crucial part as being a person on his way of becoming an

adult. As a result, most likely people at this age already have a vision of themselves with their

vocational aspirations and at the same time, confusion and anxieties that leads to their career

indecisions. However, this may be resolved by the help of their parents by giving them

advices or helping them to choose their career options in such a way by clarifying the

complexities that they are confused about.

Globally, choosing of career aspirations starts in secondary high school. In Kenya, the

students’ career degrees depend on the results of their admissions in various Universities. As

a result, those will gain high mark would be affirmed in a science based courses, while on the

other hand, those who got low remarks will be assigned in a non-science courses. This is a

dilemma for the students in Kenya as they have no chance to choose the degree where they

are interested in, which leads them to fall into an occupation that they have not aspired

(Alphonse, 2016). However, according to Alphonse (2016), by allowing these students to

explore their career options, then most likely it will provide them a more meaningful and

satisfying vocational choice.

In the national context, particularly in San Beda College, Alabang, the study of

Magallanes and Castronuevo (2016) affirmed that career indecision is a phenomenon that is

experienced by many college students across all years. In fact, vocational uncertainty affects
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the perception of student towards their thoughts and decisions (Magallanes & Castronuevo,

2016). Moreover, their study was conducted with first year college students of San Beda

College in Alabang to find out the factors affecting the career indecision of the students. The

results of their study were obtained through online surveys and administered questionnaires.

Their results turn out that high parental involvement greatly affects the career indecision of

the students.

However, in the 2014 study of Laguador, he stated that most Filipinos- the students in

particular- are still consulting their career decisions to their parents. This is because according

to Laguador (2014) that the parents are the ones who support them financially and as a result,

their voice and opinions at this case is very powerful. But still, it is very questionable, if

whether or not will they follow their parents’ insights toward their career decisions.

Furthermore, the study of Laguador (2014) aimed to provide information regarding the

intentions and reasons of the General Engineering Students in Lyceum of the Philippines

University- Batangas of their chosen careers and courses in college; in which resulted that the

parents have the most significant and strong influence to the decisions of the students.

Moreover, this research paper aims to discover if there is a significant relationship

between the two variables: Parents involvement and students career choice. More so, the

researchers as well would like to provide suggestions on how would parents will help their

children in choosing and guiding with their vocational aspirations.

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Statement of the Problem

This study aims to answer the following questions regarding the relationship between

parental involvement and the career choice of the University of Mindanao senior high school

students:

1. What is the level of parents’ involvement to the University of Mindanao senior high school

students in terms of:

1.1 parents’ occupation;

1.2 parents’ socioeconomic status; and

1.3 parents’ values and expectations?

2. What is the level of the University of Mindanao senior high school Students’ career

choice in terms of:

2.1 parent-child relationship;

2.2 student’s emotional autonomy; and

2.3 student’s vocational commitment?

3. Is there a significant relationship between parents’ involvement and the University

of Mindanao senior high school students’ career choice?

Hypothesis

There is no significant relationship between parents’ involvement and the University

of Mindanao senior high school students’ career choice which will be tested at 0.05 level of

significance.
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Theoretical Framework

Attachment is an intimate and lasting bond that connects an individual to other person

up to their milestone of living (McLeod, 2017). Additionally, in putting this in the context of

parent and child relationship, according to Berks (2007) that it is an important behavior that a

parent must perform to their child in order to encourage them to have a higher motivation

towards choosing their aspired careers (Sinkombo, 2016). By doing so, it may result for the

parents to get more involved and aware about their child’s decisions and might as well for

their child to trust them and would listen to their parent’s opinions.

As mentioned above, the Attachment Theory that is originated by John Bowlby of

1958 (McLeod, 2017) supports this study; which aims to know how the involvement of

parents influence the vocational aspirations of the students. Specifically, this theory primarily

talks about the importance of constant and secure connection between parents and their child,

when it comes to their decisions in life, mainly in career choice as the adolescents’ major

activity at this age (Sinkombo, 2016). More so, as noted by McLeod (2017) in his article, that

the attachment is the foundation of a child for all social relationships and disrupting it would

lead to myriad of consequences including the reduce of intelligence. By that being said, the

students must have an attachment or influence from their parents especially when it comes to

their choices of career aspirations. Therefore, if they would have do so, more likely, the

students would have more assurance with regards to their identity with parents and will result

to making their parents as well to get involved with their activities such as making decisions.
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Conceptual Framework

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT STUDENTS CAREER CHOICE

parents’ occupation parent-child relationship

parents’ socioeconomic status student’s emotional autonomy

parents’ values and expectations student’s vocational commitment

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework showing the independent (left) and dependent

(right) variables of this study.

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Scope and Limitations

The respondents that will cover and answer the survey questionnaire are the senior

high school students, who are currently studying at the University of Mindanao. However,

there are factors that limit this study which is limited only to the mentioned respondents

above: The setting, which is only limited inside the premises of the University of Mindanao,

Bolton, Embassy; and the honesty and the accuracy of students’ answers to the questionnaires

that will be given to them.

Significance of the Study

The results of the study will be great benefit to the following:

Students. This study will be beneficial to the students because the results in this

research will provide students with some knowledge about the importance of parental

guidance in accordance of their career decision making. It will give the students a realization

that good relationship among parent and child can be every child’s growing potential on the

environment.

Teachers. This study will be beneficial to the teacher because the given data of this

research would give them basis on performing actions toward students who grow with lack of

parental guidance. The teachers would be able to understand why some students shift courses

frequently.

Parents. This study will be beneficial to the parents because the findings of this

research would provide basis for them to understand why their children gradually decide

career choice on their own preference. The given data would help them formulate some

actions to help their children in choosing their career. The findings would also help perform
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applicable approaches to be more involved and therefore help their children decide their

future.

School. This study will be beneficial to the school because the results of this research

will provide schools knowledge on what are the factors that are affecting the students in

choosing their careers. The given data will help them to perform necessary actions like

seminars or career guidance programs for their fellow students in guiding them on how to

choose their careers better.

Definition of Terms

These following terms are conceptually defined in order to establish common

basis of understanding and interpretation of ideas.

Career Choice. This term refers to the process of choosing a career path which can

involve choices regarding education and training for a given career (IGI Global, n.d.).

Operationally, his term refers to the activity that an adolescent of the University of

Mindanao senior high school must done for his or her future. Also, it is described in this

research as an activity that the senior high school students are having difficulty as well.

Parental Involvement. This term refers to the amount of participation a parent has

when it comes to schooling and her child's life (Live Strong, 2014)

Operationally, his term refers to the one of the factors that may help and influence the

senior high students of the University of Mindanao in choosing their future vocation.
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Chapter 2

Review of Related Literature

This chapter presents related studies which are helpful to support the present research.

Parental Involvement. Parents are the ones who are commonly consulted and

influential advisers when it comes to choosing career path (Quadri, 2018). Therefore in career

selections, the parents’ voice is indeed very influential to the students, as they are known to

be the first person who has direct contact with them and also the first person they want to talk

to with regards to decision making (Alphonse, 2016).

Parents’ Occupation. The occupation of parents influences the career choice of the

children both intentionally and unintentionally. As the time passes, children begin to plan for

their future, often looking to their parents either as role models or trustworthy for career

advice. A parent’s approach to this can either inspire teenagers to explore a diverse set of

potential occupations or to stick to a path they think their parents will approve (Williams,

2016). Nowadays, the occupation of the parents is the basis of the children on what career

should they choose in the future (Williams, 2016). In fact, it is conventional for the people in

the third or fourth generations of their families to work with the same career or profession.

By that being said, they already have background knowledge about their future career

through their parents’ occupation. As a result, it will be a lot easier for them to break in to the

industry they are going to enter. More so, if the children see that their parents’ occupation is

good or giving them a comfortable life, the children will imagine themselves being successful

in the future. Consequently, children or students may choose the same career with their

parents.
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However, if the children see that their parents are complaining about their jobs or

struggle to give their family a good lifestyle, then the adolescents will find other career that

can give them bigger income in the future (Williams, 2016).

In addition, the most influential factors in choosing the career of the students are not

in the race, ethnicity or immigrant status. Because the factor that affects the career choice of

the students is the occupation status of their parents (Sandraluz, Cinisimo, Pebley, Maggio,

Berends, & Lucas, 2004). Also, studies show that parents’ occupation status has a significant

relationship with students’ career choice or attainment (Mdanda, n.d.). By that being said, the

students with good parents’ occupation tend to dream bigger or to choose higher career

(Farooq, Chaudhry, Shafig, & Berhanu., 2011). Conversely, one of the studies states that

parental occupation does not have a significant relationship with students’ career choice and

the performance of the students (Shamsuddin, 2006).

However, it is worth observing that parents’ occupation has a significant effect to the

career attainment of the students. Lastly, it plays a significant role in the students’ career

choice. Good parental occupation means good career choice or attainment of their children

(Ogunsola, 2012).

Parents’ Socioeconomic Status. The status of the parents is now being considered as

having a relationship to an effective educational goal achievement and different needs in life

of their children. Additionally, socioeconomic status thusly, can be referred to such a position

in connection to the social and financial remain of the child’s parent, possessing different

positions among the group in the society. Those positions are once in a while times took a

glance at in relationship to career choice. Career choice in this manner, can take its prompt

from the utilization of rational and systematic analysis to the point of making career choice
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and aspiration more effective and productive in reacting to the requirements and objectives of

the students and society (Muhammed & Mande, 2015).

Specifically, parents with low socioeconomic status are those do not have the money

related, social, and educational support that described high financial status. Due to their low

social class level, these groups of parents may have insufficient or constrained access to

network assets that can promote and support a child’s improvement and school preparations.

More so, a study demonstrated that people from a lower social class had less career-related

self-efficacy when it comes to career choice (Ali, McWhirter, and Chronister, 2005).

On the other hand, those from higher social class foundations have a tendency to be

more effective in choosing their careers and are for the most part, better ready for the world

of work due to access to resources, for example, vocation workplaces, better schools and

familial involvement with higher education (Diemer and Ali, 2009). Additionally, parents

who are in high level of social class have higher standard in the career choice of their

children; and are more prepared to approve their child’s career choice.

A parent's level of education as well can impact their child’s career choice. Parents

with low socioeconomic status are less liable to have finished secondary school than those

who are in high social class. Furthermore, students who originate from families with low

educational attainment are more averse to head off to college or accomplish a professional

career (Jamabo, 2014).

More about the educational attainment of parents, as part of their socioeconomic

status, the 2016 study of Mbagwu and Ajaegbu shows that the educational background of the

parents is observed to have an influence into what tertiary courses the students are taking and

as well as their vocational decision. This claim was based from the results coming from their

survey to Nigerian adolescents of eight secondary schools. In fact, study revealed that the
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influences of a child’s career options have two kinds: the intrinsic and extrinsic (Hewit, n.d.

as cited in Mbagwu & Ajaegbu, 2016). By that being said, as according to him, it was

discovered that parental educational background is one of the external factors affecting the

child’s career choice. In support to this statement Asad, Iqbal and Tasneem (2015) also noted

that parents’ educational background serves as a motivational force for a student that paves

their way to their future milestone. More so, it also shows that children from educated parents

turn out to be more confident, self-sufficient and competent compared to those who are from

less educated parents.

Additionally, educated parents are more likely to get involved to any activities of their

children particularly in their school. This is because according to Asad, Iqbal, and Tasneem

(2015) that educated parents displays a personality that is more concerned with regards to the

academic performance of their child, as well as showing more care about their choices and

decisions. On the other hand, according to the same researchers that, parents who are not able

to go beyond elementary level, turned out to fail when it comes to the educational needs and

problems of their child. However, it was also concluded in the study of Asad, Iqban, and

Tasneem (2015) that parents educational attainment do not necessarily reflects nor influences

the students’ academic achievements and might as well to their career decisions. In support to

the conclusion of Asad, Iqban, and Tasneem, Jamabo (2014) also states that parents

‘educational attainment is not required to influence the career choices of their child, because

it is the right of their children to choose freely and decide what vocational options would they

choose.

Parents’ Values and Expectations. In raising the children, parents will basically need

a guidance to follow through (Shute, 2011). It is necessary for parents to instill good values in

their children. However, some parents do not accept this responsibility, and negative forces

may be filled in the void due to some unhealthy culture that do not support in imposing good
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morals and ethics for our families. Value, is the amount of worth ascribed to something, in

which is prized or merit (Shute & Hansen, 2011). Values form humanity, inclined with the

beliefs that each person consider it as significant for himself, it is essential in parenting since

it deeply influences the characteristics and honing the attitudes. In addition, by connecting the

parental values of the parents to the career choices of the adolescents, Alphonse (2016)

further states that adolescents share their major issues to their parents and if necessary, they

will let go their choices if it does not fit to the values of their parents. This is actually an

opposition to the claim stated by Jungsen (2008) that during adolescence, defiance, or being

against to parents also starts at this time (as cited in Alphonse, 2016). More so, values, for

parents would help them in guiding their children to their decisions in their future career, if

approached properly.

Moreover, parents display their support for their children by demonstrating their

expectations. Expectations from parents serve as their expression to their interests and strong

desire to assist their child to succeed. However, as indicated by Yamamoto (2013), high

standards of parents may demonstrate that parents value accomplishments, and as a result, it

could put stress on children to perform well. In contrast to this statement, high standards

could likewise make a self-fulfilling prophecy- boosting child’s own assumptions regarding

their capacity and in this manner, it would inspire them to do well. Furthermore, expectation

of the parents could encourage more parent involvement to their child’s education and can

also be a door for them to help their child in making decisions particularly when it comes to

their career choices.

Synthesis

The independent variables which include parents’ occupation, parents’ socioeconomic

status, and parents’ values and expectations significantly affects the career choices of their
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children based from the results from the literatures reviewed. To sum up, parents’ occupation

influences the vocational aspiration of a child because basically, they are considered by their

children as role models of them which they will follow. Also, the socioeconomic of the

parents can affect as well to the career options of the adolescents in such a way for parents

who are in high class level, students can choose freely what future occupation will they

pursue, because their parents can support them enough financially. On the other hand, for

parents who have low socioeconomic status, youngsters may not be able to choose or pursue

their aspired career due to the lack of financial support of their parents to them. Lastly,

parents’ values and expectation turned out to greatly affect also their child’s occupational

dream- they could motivate their child into pursuing their aspiration or can set standard that

can either pressure them or challenge to do more. Also, parents’ values and expectations can

be a child’s own standard in choosing their career path which is, they will pursue their

desired vocation if their parents would agree to them; and if not, they will decide and choose

another one.

Students’ Career Choices. In the stage of adolescents, students tend to start figuring

out themselves and finding their identities, and selecting their career is one of them

(Alphonse, 2016). Also, during this time, they turn out to get influence by several factors that

might help and enforce them to decide what vocation they are going to take in the future.

Parent-Child Relationships. Conceptions of who parents are and what form the best

conditions for raising children vary widely. Parenting often is characterized as an essential

system of socialization wherein, it is a primary means of training and basic preparation for

children to meet the demands of their environments and take advantage of opportunities

within those situations (Titus, 2016).

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Parents have distinctive levels and nature of access to information that can control the

development of their child rearing attitude and practices. In fact, parenting practices also are

influenced by attitudes, refer to parents’ viewpoints, perspectives, reactions, or settled ways

of thinking with respect to the roles and importance of parents and parenting in children’s

development, as well as parents’ responsibilities (Caro, 2011).

Additionally, the 2013 study of Murphy and Laible have shown that some young

children who experienced trauma may have fewer and less severe trauma-related symptoms if

they have a healthy attachment to their primary caregiver, or if they would be treated well

and more sensitively; whereas, traumatized children without healthy attachment from their

primary caregiver are more likely to experience negative long-term effects of the trauma and

that will lead to low productivity of the children. As a result, this will lead for a child not to

trust his or her parents and at the same time, hard for them to initiate conversation; and if that

is the case, it would be hard for the parents to get involved or be aware regarding their child’s

decisions. However, if both individuals have positive thoughts and feelings about one another

and if their behaviours are mutually respectful, then it is likely that the relationship is healthy,

functional, satisfying and more productive interaction within both parties.

Student’s Emotional Autonomy. It is undeniable that there will be a point that

adolescents will be at the stage of autonomy. In fact, according to Parra, Oliva, and Sanchez-

Queija (2014) that autonomy is a stage where teenagers are on their way to becoming an

independent person, plus the Raising Child Network (2018) as well describes adolescence

stage as the time that these youngsters would crave more independence and preferably want a

space away from their parents. To emphasize more about adolescents, Sanders (2013) stated

that adolescents begin from 12-14 years old. Also, in the context of family relationships, it

turns out that there are actually at least three dimensions of independence (Noom, Decovic, &

Meeus, 1999 as cited in Parra, Oliva, & Sanchez-Queija, 2014).

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Specifically, the first dimension is behavioural which refers to a youngster showing

actions that indicate independence. The second dimension is cognitive which means that a

young person acquires enough and necessary skills for survival and competent enough;

capable of taking control in his or her life. The third dimension is emotion which is

independence based on self-confidence and individuality; and the ability to form emotional

bonds that are more balanced and precise than in childhood.

However, cognitive and emotional autonomy significantly affect mostly the students’

career decision as they involve individualization, and abundance from their parents. More so,

at this age, Libraries Publishing (n.d.) stated in their article that adolescents acquire a new

feeling of egocentrism- a belief of teenagers that they know more about themselves more than

anyone else. As a result, they are more likely to decide on their own with accordance or not

from their parents, including their plans and choices of their career; also according tong

Advocate for Youth (2008) that most young adults starts in this age that they will be forming

new and complete values framework.

Scientifically, Libraries Publishing (n.d.) stated that when adolescents are in their

cognitive development, their brain continues to form new neuron connections but also banish

the unused ones. As a result with this new formation of neural connections, it leads to the

maturity of how a young person thinks primarily when it comes to their reasoning, planning

and problem solving (Goldberg 2001, as cited in Libraries Publishing, n.d.). Also, with the

advancement of their patterns of reasoning, it turns out as well that they would become more

self-reliant; meaning that they would have a stronger sense of self and they will be seeking

out for more exploration to their identities as well as building new attachments away from

their parents (Libraries Publishing, n.d.).

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Statistically, the 2013 study of Sanders in his article states that some studies have

discovered that girls, in 11-year-old age spend 68 percent of their time being with their

families; 22 percent with their peers; and for an 18-year-old girls, they spend their time more

with their friends at 46 percent and 44 percent respectively. With this statistics, we can

therefore conclude that in the 46 to 44 percent of the 18-year-old girl adolescents with their

peers, it is very possible for them to discover things out from their knowledge before. To

support this statement, Sanders (2013) states that it is very common for adolescents to have

confusion with regards to their identity or where did they belong to the society, that is why

Sanders (2013) also claimed that adolescents may experiment and explore their identities

with other peer groups.

Talking about the values in a child’s emotional autonomy, Kaygin and Gulluce (2013)

stated in their study that values exists in the establishment of priorities. The same researchers

also claimed that every individual have different values and their values are learned during

their milestone of living. In fact, researchers have divided values into two components: the

instrumental and purposeful values (Kaygin & Gulluce, 2013). To elaborate, instrumental

values refers to the priority of a person in which it considers the intermediary in achieving

goals like honesty, ambition, self-efficacy and bravery (Kaygin & Gulluce, 2013). On the

other hand, the purposeful values consider and reflect the objectives to be achieved according

to their happiness, love, contentment, freedom, and self-confidence (Kaygin & Gulluce,

2013). To sum up, values greatly affects an individual’s attitude, behavior and thoughts and

therefore can also matter a lot in their choice of career (Kaygin & Gulluce, 2013), and thus

must be considered in student’s decision in choosing there aspired job.

More about the students’ autonomy in deciding their future careers, some researchers

have opposed to this. According to Parra, Oliva, & Sanchez-Queija (2014) that emotional

autonomy would lead to unsatisfactory family relationships and therefore would result in
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poor adolescent adjustments. Ladd (2000) supports this statement as according to him that

children, who turns out to have less attachment to their family are more likely to have a

difficulty in exploring careers or will face fewer opportunities in developing strong

vocational skills. In contrast, Parra, Oliva, & Sanchez-Queija (2014) shows result using the

Emotional Autonomy Scale that the autonomy among adolescents would have a positive

effect in the later years rather than their earlier ages.

Student’s Vocational Commitment. One of the most developmental tasks of the

adolescence as according to Ladany, Melincoff, Costantine, and Love (n.d.) is the

commitment to career choices. In this process, one must be able to neglect and stand against

the doubts, confusion and anxiety towards discovering an individual’s future potential

vocation; and if there is a vocational commitment, then there is also a vocational expectation.

Vocational outcome expectation happens when a person chooses a career based on the

vocational values such as income, status, productivity and standing (Baglama & Uzunboylu,

2017). In addition, this vocational outcome expectation is also affected by a person’s career

interests. In fact, vocational interest is one of the most significant factors that affects and

influence when choosing a future occupation. This is because, career aspirations, guide an

individual in choosing his or her career options by means of making it as a reference or

standard. According to Lewis (2014) that we can identify someone’s vocational interests by

asking them what they like or dislike, level of participations in activities and their ideal

activities in their future jobs. Also, vocational interest as well is affected by stereotypes

(Lewis, 2014). For example, in an Indian context, mostly, the career preferences of the people

from that place would fall into careers related to engineering and medicine (Lewis, 2014).

This statement is derived from the statistics showed in Sodhganga (2011) which also shows

that in India, it turns out that 36 percent of students prefers engineering while on the other

hand, 20 percent prefers medicine. More so, according from the same researchers, that
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agriculture is the career field that is least preferred by the students in India. This is because,

the career opportunities and availability is one of the significant attributions that students are

considering when having a career choice.

Additionally, having a career interests would give individual background knowledge

to their future jobs. In fact, this statement is supported by a statistic by Nyamwange (2016)

which indicated that 91.9 percent or 272 out of 370 students of her survey turns out to agree

that having a prior knowledge of a person towards his or her ideal job will result to develop

interest in a career.

Synthesis

The dependent variables which include parent-child relationship, student’s emotional

autonomy, and student’s vocational commitment, significantly affect the career choices of the

adolescents based from the results from the literatures reviewed. For the parent-child

relationship, it turns out that the more comfortable a child is to his or her parents, most likely,

they will trust them and would involve their parents into their career decisions. Also, for the

parents, they will be able to guide their child with regards to their choices of future jobs if

that is the case. On the other hand, if they will fail to do so, then it could result for them

having a hard time to get involve to their child’s activities. Also, student’s emotional

autonomy as well would allow adolescents to explore more about themselves such as their

identities and desires and soon make decisions about their future. Lastly, the student’s

vocational commitment would allow them to be surer about their chosen careers and will be

able to eliminate their doubts about themselves. As a result, they would be more motivated to

pursue their aspired career.

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Chapter 3

Methods

This chapter discusses the process in conducting the study that will be used to

determine, choose, and interpret data in understanding the research problems, questions or

objectives. This includes Research Design, Research Instrument, Research Subjects, Data

Gathering Procedure and Statistical Treatment of Data.

Research Design

In gathering accurate and relevant data, the researchers will be using the correlational

method in this study. This design examines the degree of relationship that exists between two

or more variables and it is a quantitative measure of the level of correspondence between the

variables (Kritsonis, 2009). Thus, this design will be appropriate for the study to determine

the level of relationship between parental involvement and career choices of the University of

Mindanao senior high school students.

Research Respondents

The respondents of this study will be the senior high school students of the University

of Mindanao, Bolton, Embassy Area. The total population size is 1034; and with the use of

Raosoft software sample size calculator, the sample size that will be using 281.

The participants will be selected through convenience sampling method in which the

researchers will select subjects that are available only at the time that the researchers will be

conducting the study.

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Research Instruments

The study will be done with the use of questionnaire as the main tool in gathering data

from the respondents as the opportunities in collecting new, reliable and valid ideas in the

study.

To conduct a better source of information from the participants, the questionnaire is

designed by the researchers that has been presented and approved, to determine the

comfortability of the senior high school students who are currently studying at the University

of Mindanao, Bolton, Embassy Area. Furthermore, the first part of the questionnaire is

intended on how does the parents’ status affects the career choices of different senior high

school students that consisted 23 items.

In the second part of the questionnaire, the researchers made questions that suit to the

connectivity of every indicator of the dependent variable-the students’ career choices. It is

utilized to evaluate students’ interdependence from their parents to determine the significant

correlation between parental involvements to the students’ career choice that consisted of 19

questions.

Data Gathering Procedure

In this research, the researchers needed to deepen the study. In gathering the data, the

researchers had undergone the following procedures:

Seeking permission in conducting the study. The researchers sought permission

from the Res 2s teacher who’s authorized to allow them in conducting the study.

Distribution of the questionnaires. After the approval, the researchers were

personally distributed the questionnaires to the target respondents.

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Retrieval of the questionnaires. The data gathered were retrieved, tabulated,

analyzed, and interpreted accordingly through statistical software and aided by the

researchers.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The data collected were tested using the following statistical tools:

Mean. This tool will used to determine respondents’ level of parental involvement in

relation to their student’s career choices.

Pearson-r. This tool will be used to determine the significant relationship between

parental involvement and career choices of the University of Mindanao senior high school

students.

Standard Deviation. This tool will be used in measuring the spread of scores within

a set of data relative to the means of the two variables: Parental involvement and career

choices of the students.

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Chapter 4

Presentation and Analysis of Findings

This chapter contains the discussion on the presentation and analysis of findings based

on the statistical results. Discussions of the findings are presented under the following

headings: level of parental involvement, level of students’ career choices and significant

relationship between parental involvement and career choices of the University of Mindanao

senior high school students.

The Level of Parental Involvement

Research Problem No. 1: What is the level of parental involvement to the University

of Mindanao senior high school students?

The following are the results and interpretation on the level of parental involvement to

the University of Mindanao senior high school students as measured through the following

indicators: Parents’ occupation, parents’ socioeconomic status and parents’ values and

expectations. The means, standard deviations and level results for parental involvement are

being shown in the table 1.

Table 1

Parental Involvement Mean SD Level

Parents Occupation Average 3.23 .98 Average

Parents Socioeconomic Status Average 3.58 .67 High

Parental Values and Expectations Average 3.71 .77 High

Overall 3.74 .69 High

 23

Table 1. This table shows the descriptive statistics of the level of parental involvement to the

careers choices of the University of Mindanao senior high school students displaying its

mean, standard deviation and level.

The overall mean for parental involvement is 3.7384 which is high. This signifies that

the parental involvement is beyond the average level. This implies that the parental

involvement affects the career choices of the University of Mindanao senior high school

students including the parents’ occupation, parents’ socioeconomic status and parents’ values

and expectations toward the students. In other words, the involvement of parents toward the

career choices of students influences their vocational choices in the future. Moreover, the

2016 study of Alphonse is related to the result. According to him, family background and

parental influence are factors that affect the career selections of the adolescents.

Parents’ Occupation. This item yielded 3.23 which is average. This signifies that the

parents’ occupation is neutrally affecting the career choices of the students. Also, this

indicates that the parents’ current work or profession may or may not influence the career

path choice of the University of Mindanao senior high school students. More so, the results

supports the 2016 study of William which states that students in most cases, will depend their

career choices on the occupation of their parents. However, in the same study, Williams

(2016) also indicated that if students can see that their parents’ occupation is good or giving

them, the most likely they will follow their parents’ job whereas, if they see their parents

complaining about their job then most likely, they will choose another occupation that is

more comfortable with them.

Parents’ Socioeconomic Status. This item rated 3.58 which is high. This signifies

that the parents’ socioeconomic status is beyond average and does affect the career choices of

the students. In other words, this implies that the income, social standing and educational

attainment of the parents influence that career choices of the University of Mindanao senior
 24

high school students. The result shown supports the claim that the parents’ socioeconomic

status is considered as having a relationship in helping the students in choosing their future

vocations (Muhammed & Mande, 2015).

Parents’ Values and Expectations. This item yielded is 3.71 which is high. This

signifies that the parents’ values and expectations is beyond average and therefore do affect

the career choices of the students. Also, this implies that parental guidance, as a general term

for parents’ values and expectations, turns out to influence the vocational choices of the

University of Mindanao senior high school students. In fact, this result somehow supports the

study of Alphonse (2016) which states that adolescents usually share their career decisions to

their parents and eventually get their opinions about it. Consequently, if their decisions does

not fit to their parents’ values and expectations, the most likely their will let go of it and

choose another career that will fit to their parents’ will for them (Alphonse, 2016).

The Level of Students’ Career Choices

Research Problem No. 2: What is the level of the University of Mindanao senior high school

students’ career choice?

The following are the results and interpretation on the level of the University of

Mindanao senior high school students’ career choices as measured through the following

indicators: Parent-child relationship, students’ emotional autonomy and students’ vocational

commitment. The means, standard deviations and level results for career choices of the

University of Mindanao senior high school students are being shown in the table 2.

Table 2

Students’ Career Choices Mean SD Level

Parent-Child Relationships Average 3.91 .75 High

 25

Student's Emotional Autonomy Average 3.66 .66 High

Student's Vocational Commitment Average 3.77 .66 High

Overall 3.74 .69 High

Table 2. This table shows the descriptive statistics of the level of the University of Mindanao

senior high school students’ career choices displaying its mean, standard deviation and level.

The overall mean for parental involvement is 3.74 which is high. This signifies that

the students’ level of career choices is beyond the average level. Also, this implies that the

senior high school students of the University of Mindanao are deciding what are the careers

are they going to take on in the future. In support, Alphonse (2016) in his study indicated that

during adolescence, students tend to start thinking about their future careers, since during this

time, adolescents are starting to form their own identities; and knowing their future vocation

is one of them.

Parent-Child Relationships. This item yielded 3.91 which is high. This signifies that

the parent-child relationships can the career decision making of the University of Mindanao

senior high school students is beyond average. Also, as it turns out, the children’s

relationships toward their parents are one of the bases in choosing their careers, thus,

influencing their career choice. Moreover, the result shown supports the study of Murphy and

Laible (2013) that the parent and child relationship affect the student’s career decision.

Specifically, parents if they will be having a good relationship with their children, then they

will be able to get involved to their child’s decisions; whereas, if it is the other way around,

then most likely, their child will not trust them and will not let them get involve to their

decisions, thus getting less involvement and influence (Murphy and Laible, 2013).
 26

Students’ Emotional Autonomy. This item yielded 3.66 which is high. This signifies

that student’s emotional autonomy is beyond average. Also, this implies that the students’

emotional autonomy toward their parents can affect their career decision making. Also, this

implies that the emotional independence of a child from their parents will influence their

vocational choice. Likely, the article of Libraries Publishing (n.d.) relates to the result as

according to them, those adolescents at this age, tends to decide on their own without the

assurance from their parents which is also called independence.

Students’ Vocational Commitment. This item yielded 3.77 which is high. This

signifies that the students’ vocational commitment is beyond average. Also, this implies that

the students’ commitment to their aspired career will help them having their vocational

identities, thus making them more certain of their chosen future vocation. Also, the 2016

study of Nyamwange supports the result, as according to the said researcher, that having a

vocational interest will help the adolescents to have background knowledge of their aspired

jobs, thus, making them more certain of their chosen careers.

The Significant Relationship between Parental Involvement and Career Choices of the
University of Mindanao Senior High School Students

Table 3

Correlations

Parental Students’
Involvement Career Choices

Pearson Correlation 1 .993**

Parental Involvement Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 281 281

Pearson Correlation .993** 1

Students’ Career Choices Sig. (2-tailed) .000

N 281 281
 27

Table 3. This table shows the results from the Pearson Correlation correlating the two

variables: Parental involvement and students’ career choices

A Pearson Correlation examined the relationship between parental involvement and

career choices of the University of Mindanao senior high school students. The mean of

parental involvement was 3.74 (SD=.69) and the mean for career choices of the University of

Mindanao senior high school students was 3.74 (SD=.69). The relationship was positive, high

in strength and statistically significant (r (281) = .993, p=.00).

Specifically, the result shows that there is a significant relationship between the

parental involvement and the career choices of the University of Mindanao senior high school

students which is p=.00 and since it is less than the .05 level of significance. Therefore, it

means that the null hypothesis of this study should be rejected. Also, there is a direct

relationship between the two variables. In other words, if the parental involvement increases,

the career choice of the students also increases; whereas if the one variable decreases the

other variable also decreases and vice versa.

 28

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