Doctoral Dissertations
Date of Award
8-2025
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Major
Psychology
Major Professor
Erin E. Hardin
Committee Members
Erin E. Hardin, Melinda M. Gibbons, Joseph Miles, Jacob J Levy
Abstract
Purpose: Although the childhood career development literature has demonstrated that caregiver expectations significantly impact a child’s actual career outcomes, little is known about what forms these expectations. The purpose of this dissertation study was to examine what factors predict caregivers’ expectations for their child’s future work experiences based on the Psychology of Working Theory (Duffy et al., 2016).
Design/Methodology: Participants were recruited to complete the online survey via social media advertisement and in-person tabling events at pediatrician offices in East Tennessee. To be eligible, participants had to be at least 18 years old, be the primary caregiver of at least one child between 6-12 years old, and report having had paid work experience within the past five years. Path analysis was the primary approach used. The final sample for this study was 172.
Findings: Results indicate that caregivers’ personal experiences of decent work and work volition directly relate to their expectations for their child’s future decent work and work volition. Marginalization and social status did not predict caregiver expectations as hypothesized based on the Psychology of Working Theory (Duffy et al., 2016). Additional direct and indirect relations provide strong evidence specifically for the critical role of work volition. Taken together, these findings suggest that experiential work knowledge (i.e., caregiver decent work and work volition) is an additional source of caregiver expectations beyond what has already been identified in the literature.
Originality/Implications: This study offers a novel application of the Psychology of Working Theory (Duffy et al., 2016) to better understand caregiver expectations for their child’s future work experiences, a critical yet understudied area in the career development literature. Implications are discussed regarding how career counselors and educators might target work volition to support caregivers’ development of expectations for their child’s future work.
Recommended Citation
Sexton, Kody Kevin, "Predicting Caregiver Expectations of Children’s Future Work Experiences: A Test of the Psychology of Working Theory. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2025.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/12769