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

First Advisor

Ferguson, Sarah

Second Advisor

Kerrigan, Monica Reid

Third Advisor

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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