Helping parents support adolescents’ career orientation: Effects of a parent-based utility-value intervention

Adolescents’ motivation is crucial for their transition from school to further education. Parents are known to have a substantial influence on their children’s motivational beliefs through their own beliefs and behaviors. In this study, we tested whether a parent-based utility-value intervention could promote parents’ and students’ motivational beliefs and career orientation behavior. Twenty eighth-grade classrooms from German middle-track schools were randomly assigned to the intervention or to a waitlist control condition. Data from 357 students and their parents were obtained via separate questionnaires at pretest and posttest. The intervention was operationalized through a website where parents and students could find information about the usefulness of different school subjects for future careers. The website was designed to help parents support their children during the career orientation process. To examine the effects of the intervention on parents’ and students’ motivational beliefs and career orientation behavior, Intention-to-treat and Complier Average Causal Effect analyses were calculated. The results showed negative intervention effects on parental career support and perceived importance of career support. No intervention effects were found on the other parental outcomes or on student outcomes. We discuss reasons for these results. The study shows that intervention material needs to be carefully designed and implemented.