Fostering career awareness in elementary schools: Evaluation of an intervention proposal

• Renato Gomes Carvalho ^[2] ; Margarida Pocinho ^[1] ; Débora Fernandes ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidade da Madeira

     Universidade da Madeira

     São Roque, Portugal

     
  2. [2] Secretaria Regional de Edução da Madeira (Portugal)
• Localización: The Spanish Journal of Psychology, ISSN 1138-7416, Nº 21, 2018, págs. 1-8
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Research literature has been increasingly focusing on children’s career development, especially when school contexts are considered. In the present study, we evaluate the efficacy of a short-term intervention program designed to foster career awareness in elementary school. The sample consisted of 155 Portuguese fifth- and sixth-grade students, aged nine to fifteen years old (M = 11, SD = 1). With a quasi-experimental design, the sample was divided into two groups, namely, the participants in the program and the controls. We used the Career Awareness Scale for Children and a sociodemographic survey. Analyses of covariance indicated a moderate effect of the participation in the program in students’ career awareness (ηp2 = .06, p = .003). The results are discussed considering the school as a key context for career education aiming at promoting students’ adaptability and involvement in the construction of their life pathways.