Date Approved

3-28-2019

Embargo Period

4-2-2019

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

EdD Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Services and Leadership

College

College of Education

Advisor

Ferguson, Sarah

Committee Member 1

Kerrigan, Monica Reid

Committee Member 2

Cavallaro, Marion

Keywords

Career Decision-Making, Community College, Higher Education, Leadership Development, Quasi-Experimental, Self-Efficacy

Subject(s)

Vocational guidance; Community college students

Disciplines

Higher Education | Student Counseling and Personnel Services

Abstract

The overall purpose of this quasi-experimental research study was to determine if a formalized leadership development program had an effect on a community college student's level of career decision-making self-efficacy. This research study utilized the Career Exploration & Decision-Making Learning Experiences Scale (CEDLE) and the Career Exploration & Decisional Self-Efficacy Brief Decisional (CEDSE-BD) questionnaire to determine a student's level of career decision-making self-efficacy before and after participation in a leadership intervention (n = 411). Propensity Score Matching was utilized to account for a variety of confounding variables and self-selection bias. Results showed that community college students who participated in a leadership development intervention had lower levels of career decision-making self-efficacy than those who did not participate (p = .05). Although it was statistically significant, the data showed a very small treatment effect size (less than 2%). Additional variables were studied including gender, race/ethnicity, age, and the management of the leadership program. Results indicated that gender, race/ethnicity, and management were not statistically significant in relationship to career decision-making self-efficacy, however age was found to be statistically significant (p = .01). Research limitations, implications for policy and practice, and future areas of research are discussed.

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