ATTACHMENT RELATIONSHIPS AND THE CAREER EXPLORATION PROCESS

This article examines the role of parent-adolescent attachment relatio nships in the-career exploration process. We propose that college stud ents who report secure attachment relationships with their parents wou ld engage in greater environmental and self-exploration, as well as gr eater nontraditionality of exploration, as measured by the degree of g ender traditionality of their primary occupational preference. One hun dred and thirty-seven undergraduates (50 men, 87 women) completed meas ures of parent attachment, career exploration, and a demographic form. The results of a canonical correlation analysis indicated that attach ment to parents associated positively with environmental exploration. However, the results indicated that parental attachment was not associ ated with traditionality of exploration. An examination of relevant de mographic variables suggested that age played a significant role, wher eas gender did not. The article concludes with a discussion of the imp lications of these findings for career theory and practice.