Understanding Occupational Aspirations of Adolescent Hispanic Youth: Associations of Mathematics Motivation and Mathematics-Relatedness of Aspirations

Authors: Nayssan Safavian, Anna-Lena Dicke, Jacquelynne Eccles, Stuart A. Karabenick, AnneMarie M. Conley
Presented at 2017 AERA

Abstract: : We studied occupational aspirations of early adolescent Hispanic youth (n = 702 seventh grade students; 51% female, 76% low-income, 62% English Learner). Inspired by the Eccles et al. Expectancy–Value Theory, we examined the influence of mathematics motivation on the mathematics-relatedness (i.e., importance of mathematics knowledge within the occupation) of students’ occupational aspirations. Hispanic females aspired to occupations requiring higher levels of mathematics knowledge with greater frequency than their male peers. Expectancy for success and task value (interest, utility, and attainment value) uniquely predicted the mathematics-relatedness of career aspirations controlling for prior achievement and socio-demographic background characteristics. The associations of mathematics-related beliefs (expectancy for success and attainment value) and the mathematics-relatedness of aspired occupations were weaker for Hispanic females than males.