Cultural relativity in the conceptualization of career maturity

The present study investigated whether theories and measurement of career m aturity, because of their reliance on independence in career choice attitud es as a crucial variable, may be culturally relative and therefore less val id when working with Asian Americans. Asian American (n = 182) and European American (n = 235) college students completed Form B1 of the Crites Career Maturity Inventory (CMI), the Self-Construal Scale (SCS), and a demographi c questionnaire. Asian American participants also completed the Suinn-Lew A sian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale (SL-ASIA). As a group, Asian America ns exhibited less mature career choice attitudes than European Americans. H owever, High Acculturation Asian Americans and those with lower Interdepend ent self-construals did not differ from European Americans in maturity of c areer choice attitudes. Counseling implications are discussed. (C) 2001 Aca demic Press.