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Dissertation
The Influence of Race, Gender, and Perceived Barriers of Law Enforcement Officers on Self-efficacy of Career Decisions
University of West Florida Libraries
Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida
2009
Abstract
The efficacy beliefs of individuals relative to their academic and vocational performance and choices have an impact on their careers. This assertion has been established in the literature of career theories, social cognitive theory, and, specifically, self-efficacy as a component of social cognitive theory. The assessment of self-efficacy and career self-efficacy has been measured in a number of samples using the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale (CDMSES) and its short form (CDSE-SF; Betz, Klein, & Taylor, 1996). The impact of ethnicity and gender in self-efficacy is examined in this study, and the ramifications for recruitment of officers into the field of criminal justice, law enforcement. Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) is examined to determine its utility in understanding the career decisions of officers. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence ethnicity, gender, and perceived barriers had on self-efficacy of making career decisions in the criminal justice profession. The following were the research questions of this study: 1. What impact does ethnicity, as measured by the Bi-Cultural Involvement Questionnaire, have on self-efficacy of career decisions? 2. What impact does gender have on self-efficacy of career decisions? 3. What impact does perceived barriers as measured by the Career Barriers Inventory-Revised (CBI-R; Swanson, Daniels, & Tokar, 1996), have on selfefficacy of career decisions? A hypothesized relationship between career decision self-efficacy and ethnicity was not supported. A hypothesized relationship between career decision self-efficacy and perceptions of career barriers was not supported. Major findings suggest there is utility in using Social Cognitive Career Theory to assist in understanding career choice behavior in officers and academy recruits. More perceived barriers were associated with lower career decision self-efficacy for Native Americans, Asians and Caucasians. This association was less true for Hispanics and African Americans. The findings support the use of the CDSE-SF in counseling preservice academy recruits and suggest possible use in understanding and mitigating the perception of barriers for in-service officers seeking career progression. Important in the latter is the differentiation of perceived barriers and actual hindrance.
Details
- Title
- The Influence of Race, Gender, and Perceived Barriers of Law Enforcement Officers on Self-efficacy of Career Decisions
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Contributors
- Janet K. Pilcher (Committee Chair)John Platt (Committee Member)Cheryl Swanson (Committee Member)Kathrine A Johnson (Committee Member) - University of West Florida, College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities
- Publisher
- University of West Florida Libraries
- Format
- pdf
- Number of pages
- 125
- Copyright
- © 2009 Richard Macon Hough, Sr
- Identifiers
- 99380090866706600
- Academic Unit
- School of Education
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Doctor of Education (EDD)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida