Demographic and Neurocognitive Predictive Factors Impacting on Expressed Vocational Interests

This study examined multiple demographic and neurocognitive variables to determine which ones were predictive of expressed range of occupational interests and occupational interest types. This study used archival data from an outpatient community training clinic that included the Strong Interest Inventory (SII), tests of intellectual functioning, and tests of executive functioning. It was hypothesized that demographic variables (age, gender, years of education, and socioeconomic status) and cognitive variables (intelligence and executive functioning) would be predictive of the expressed range of occupational interests; and that there would be differences in career interests by gender and race/ethnicity. Multiple regressions and chi-square tests were used to analyze which variables predicted range of occupational interests and to analyze differences of gender and race/ethnicity on career interest types. Results indicated that age and years of education significantly predicted expressed range of occupational interests and confirmed gender differences in terms of occupational interest types. This study also found that both intelligence and executive functioning significantly predicted both expressed range of occupational interests and executive functioning also predicted occupational interest types. This study aimed to add to the literature on how people may be limited by certain variables in terms of their range and types of occupational interests.