.4" 4.” i, |-'~, .FHE_JL.~. This is to certify that the dissertation entitled A STUDY OF THE EARLY ADULT DEVELOPMENT AND MOTIVATION FOR ENROLLMENT OF WOMEN AND MEN NHO ENROLLED IN GRADUATE SCHOOL DURING THE AGE THIRTY TRANSITION (AGES 28-32) presented by Karen Louise Karelius has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for Ph.D. degree in Administration and Curriculum W‘W/ Z/PW Major professor Date April 20, 1982 MS U is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution 0-12771 MSU LIBRARIES \lllllll\\llllzl\l9\|l\lllilillflllllljlllflllllll L RETURNING MATERIALS: Place in book drop to remove this checkout from your record. FINES will be charged if book is returned after the date stamped below. © Copyright by KAREN LOUISE KARELIUS 1982' 6-//’7————__ul-HH _.,__L,.,_' _‘___ _ —102- near a big city, etc." (career + relation + self). One interesting category emerged from the data —~ the category "I knew'what I didn't want to do" dream. One woman, age 32, wrote, I knew I wanted to do something, that I would not be a housewife. Didn't know exactly what. I thought I would be doing something in the helping profession —- knew I wouldn't be a secretary all my life. The multiple context descriptions given by men and women indicate that their dream contains a number of domains. The researcher combined these context descriptions into one category called "multi-context". This category was established for descriptive purposes only. Table 4.3 summarizes this data transformation. The "knew what didn't want" category was combined with the self category. Table 4. 3 —- Distribution of Participants by Dream at Age 22 Using Multi-Context Category Women Men Total" n=15(%) n=14(%) n=29(%) Career 4(26.7) 11(78.6) 15(51.7) Relation 3(20.0) 0(0) 3(10.3) Self 1(6.7) 0(0) 1(3.4) Multi-Context 7(46.7) 3(21.4) 10(34.S) Tbtal* 15(100) 14(100) 29(100). x2=8.842 D. F.=3 Significance=.031 *=only those who reported a vision at age 22 are included -102a— A significant difference was found between men's and women's context descriptions of their dream at age 22. Over 78 percent of the men gave dream descriptions in a career context; 26.7 percent of the women described their dream in a career context. Three women and no men described their dream in a relationship context. Twice as many women as men described their dream at age 22 in a multiple context. Middle TWenties Two questions were designed to see if participants changed their age 22 dream or formed a dream later if they had none at age 22. Of those 29 persons who reported having a dream at age 22, 27 indicated they had changed their dream. The average age of the dream change was age 26. Of the eight participants who reported having no dream at age 22, all eight reported having a dream later in their twenties. The average age for forming this dream later was age 26. (See Tables 4.4 and 4.5.) Those who changed their age 22 dream fell into three categories by their dream descriptions: those who deepened their original age 22 dream (n=4), those who changed their dream but did not form a new dream (n=6) and those formed a new dream (n=17). Those who deepened their age 22 dream all described their dreams in a career context. One woman, age 28, wrote The gross characeristics didn't change, but the strength of the vision certainly did. I believed that I could make significant contributions, but I've developed a more specific idea of what those contributions may be and a greater confidence in my abilities. ~103- Table 4.4 -— Distribution of Participants by Age of Dream Change women Men Total* n=13(%) n=13(%) n=26(%) Age 23 0(0) 1(7.6) 1(3.8) 24 2(15.38) 1(7.69) 3(11.53) 25 2(15.38) 4(30.76) 6(23.07) 26 3(23.07) 3(23.07) 6(23.07) 27 2(15.38) 2(15.38) 4(15.38) 28 4(30.76) 0(0) 4(14.38) 29 0(0) 1(7.69) 1(3.84) 30 0(0) 1(7.69) 1(3.84) Total 13(100) 13(100) 26(100) *=only those reporting a dream change are included; there is one missing observation dream X2=8.O x women=26.3(1.4) Table 4.4 -— Distribution of Participants by Age of Dream Formed Later D.F.=7 x men=26.0(1.9) Significance=.332 x all=26.15(1.6) than Age 22 Wbmen Men Total* n=4(%) n=4(%) n=8(%) Age 25 2(50.0) 1(25.0) 3(37.5) 26 1(25.0) 1(25.0) 2(25.0) 27 1(25.0) 0(0) 1(12.5) 28 0(0) 1(25.0) 1(12.5) 29 0(0) 1(25.0) 1(12.5) Tbtal 4(100) 4(100) 8(100) *=0nly those reporting a dream.later are included x2=5.15 x women=25.7(1.1) D.F.=5 x men=27(1.9) Significance=.397 x all=26.0(1.9) ~103a- A number of persons changed their dream midway in their twenties but did not form a new one. A woman, age 29, wrote, "I realized after 5 years of teaching that I wanted 'something else' —- it wasn't the challenge I needed from life." Another person, a 30-year-old man, wrote Became more pessimistic that there were too many external obstacles for me to attain my vision especially after realizing some of my career goals. Completely started from scratch (after my wife left me) in re—thinking and re—constructing a new vision of myself. Those who formed a new dream described their dream in a number of contexts. Below is a summary of those 17 descriptions by the categories established earlier. Wonen(%) Men(%) Total(%) Career 1(11.11) 3(37.50) 4(23.52) Relation 0 0 0 Self 3(33.33) 2(25) 5(29.41) Career + Relation 1(11.11) 0 1(5.89) Self + Relation 2(22.22) 1(12.5) 3(17.65) Career + Self 1(11.11) 1(12.5) 2(11.76) Career + Relation + Self 1(11.11) 1(12.5) 2(11.76) Tbtal 9(100) 8(100) 17(100) The eight persons who formed a dream later in their twenties after having no dream at age 22 described their dreams in a number of contexts. The following is a smnnary of those descriptions: Wbmen(%) Men(%) Total(%) Career 2(50) 1(25) 3(37.5) Career + Relation 1(25) 2(50) 3(37.5) Career + Self 1(25) 0(0) 1(12.5) Career + Relation + Self 0(0) 1(25) 1(12.5) Tbtal 4(100) 4(100) 8(100) -104- Table 4.6 summarizes all the dreamss of participants during their middle twenties. The four dream "deepened" participants, who had all given career-context descriptions, are included in the table along with the two participants who indicated no change of the 22 dream. Of these two, one had a career—context dream, the other a self—context dream. The six persons who reported changing their age 22 dream but did not form a new one are not included. Table 4.6 -— Distribution of Participants by Middle Twenties Dream Context Descriptions women Men Total* n=16(%) n=15(%) n=31(%) Career 5(31.25) 7(46.66) 12(38.70) Self 4(25.0) 2(13.33) 6(19.35) Career + Relation 2(12.50) 2(13.33) 4(12.90) Career + Self 2(12.50) 1(6.66) 3(9.67) Self + Relation 2(12.50) 1(6.66) 3(9.67) Career + Self + Relation 1(6.25) 2(13.33) 3(9.67) Tbtal 16(100) 15(100) 31(100) *=only those who had a vision at the period midway in the twenties are included. There are no significant differences between men's and women's dream context descriptions during the period midway in the twenties. Cbmbining all the multiple-context descriptions into the "multiple context" category resulted in the following distribution of dreams in the mid twenties. -105- Table 4.7 -— Distribution of Participants by Middle TWenties Dream Context Descriptions USing Multi-Context Category Women Men Total* n=16(%) n=15(%) n=31(%) Career 5(31.25) 7(46.66) 12(38.70) Self 4(25.0) 2(13.33) 6(19.35) Multi-Context 7(43.75) 6(40.0) 13(41.93) Tbtal* 16(100) 15(100) 31(100) *=only those who had a life vision at this time were ifiCluded. Over 41 percent of the participants who had a dream.described it in multiple contexts. A career context dream description was given by 38.7 percent of the participants. Forty-six percent of the men and 31 percent of the women gave career-context descriptions. TWenty-five percent of the women gave self-context descriptions while 13 percent of the:men gave such descriptions. No participants gave dream descriptions in a relationship context. Some of the life dream descriptions given by participants for the middle twenties are cited below along with the category which they were placed. In the career category, one man, age 30 wrote, "I see myself moving more into the field of psychology -- working with mentally retarded." Another simply wrote about his dream, “To become a teacher." ~106— A dream description categorized as a self—context dream was given by a woman age 30. I stopped wanting to live through someone else and be 'me.‘ There was a long period when I didn't know what it was I wanted, but I definitely wanted something. I then wanted to just be able to be me and I found I wanted to be an educator or somehow incorporate all the things I enjoyed into one career. [Self Context]. Those who wrote dream descriptions characterized by the contexts of career with a relationship are given below. One woman, age 28, wrote of her dream later in her twenties After having my first child, I really felt a sense of directions and priorities. I could see myself as a good parent but also having the ability to have a career. career would be in an area that would benefit people. [Career + relation] A man, age 30, wrote I saw myself becoming a husband and father. I had decided at 25 to stay in the Navy (a decision I've never regretted) and become a captain and perhaps an Admiral. [Career + relation] One woman described her dream of herself in a career and self context when she wrote that she sees herself "growing into an emotionally well-balanced person at peace with myself and finding work that would have personal weaning fOr He and give HE some lasting satisfaction." A man, age 29, also wrote of his dream in a similar way: "Tb work in a position in human services, in a position where I was satisfied and the same time serving people" [Career + self]. Three persons described their dreams on themselves in contexts of themselves and relationships in their lives. One woman, age 29, -107- wrote, Once I felt okay about myself again, I ached to let the creative and intellectual parts out. I had the freedom to see myself as a loved wife and special and creative person again. [self + relationship] A man, age 29, described his dream change in the following way (I saw myself) as someone who wished to develop a more understanding and fulfilling relationship with oa—workers, familv members and friends. [self + relationship] A combination of contexts to describe a dream were given by some participants. A woman, age 29, described her dream in the following manner: I became ambitious; I viewed myself as advancing in my profession, as hating job—stagnation and remaining single. [career + relationship + self] Current Period (Age 28—32) Thirty-five of the 37 participants indicated they currently have a dream. One w0man and one man did not have a current dream. The 35 who indicated they had a dream currently described their dreams in a number of ways. One participant gave a dream description that did not seem to fit any of the earlier categories. It was categorized as "lack direction." A 30—year—old man wrote I am beginning to see myself as ambitious but still lack ultimate direction. I have achieved one of the goals I set three years ago (owning my own business), but I wonder if it's worth it. I have all the tools necessary to be successful (as I define it) yet I wonder if maybe my ultimate aim isn't just to be happy. ~108- Table 4.8 summarizes the dreams using the categories established earlier and mentioned before with the addition of "lack direction." Table 4.8 —- Distribution of Participants by CUrrent Dream Context Description Current Wbmen Men Tbtal* Vision n=18 n=17 n=35 (%) (%) (%) Career 5(26.3) 6(35.3) 11(30.6) Self 2(11.1) 3(17.6) 5(14.28) Career + Relation 3(15.8) 2(11.8) 5(13.9) Self + Relation 1(5.3) 1(5.9) 2(5.6) Career + Self 4(21.1) 2(11.8) 6(16.7) Career + Relation + Self 3(15.8) 2(11.8) 5(13.9) Lack Direction 0(0) 1(5.9) 1(2.8) Total* 18(100) 17(100) 35(100) x2=3.062 D.F.=6 Significance=. 652 *total n=35 based on those indicating a dream now No significant difference was found between men's and women's current dream context descriptions. Clearly "career" context dreams represent the greatest number for both Hen and women with 35 percent of the men and 26 percent of the women seeing themselves only in an occupational context. Twice as many women as men indicated a dream that combined self and career contexts. -109- Since a number of the dreams descriptions were given in multiple—context terms, a data transformation was performed, collapsing all multiple context responses into one "multi-context." The "lack direction" response was combined into the self category. Table 4.9 -— Distribution of Participants by Current Dream COntext Descriptions Using Multi—Context Category Wbmen Men Tbtal* n=18(%) n=17(%) n=35(%) Career 5(27.72) 6(35.3) 11(31.42) Relation 0(0) 0(0) 0(0) Self 2(11.11) 4(23.5) 6(17.14) Multi-Context 11(61.11) 7(41.2) 18(51.42) Tbtal* 18(100) 17(100) 35(100) x2=1. 014 D.F.=2 Significance=. 6021 Over 51 percent of all participants described a dream in multiple context terms. Sixty—one percent of the women and 41 percent of the men had multiple-context dreams. Again, no significant differences were found between men and women in their current context descriptions of their dreams. The current dreams described by the participants are varied and represent a number of fascinating dreams. Many of them carry descriptions related to contributing to society. Some of those dreams are reported below along with their category of response. Those who express their dreams in career contexts indicate a number of professional aspirations. A 29—year—old woman writes -110— I vision myself as an emerging artist able to share my skills as an artist and ability to work well within the mental health field to be a great art therapist. [career] A 28 year old man writes that his dream is much the same as before "but better focussed." He writes I have had the opportunity to work with and learn from very learned and influential people, to participate in and influence policy decisions of national importance, to do original research and to pass On some knowledge by teaching. All this has allowed HE to 'settle down' my career more fully and to determine how I can contribute to the general betterment of human existence. [career] Of those who indicated a dream in a self-context, one woman, age 28, wrote: "Competent, self-reliant, tolerant, able to handle stress." A man, age 29, wrote that his dream is "as someone changing, and able to change, lifestyles." A woman, age 30, writes of her dream in terms of career and relationship contexts. She writes Somewhat tempered but still career—oriented —— national nursing leader in research or teaching. Also loving, loyal, stable relationship with significant other. [career + relationship] A man, age 29, indicated a dream that combined both career and relationship contexts when he wrote that his dream is still being forged: on one hand I am excited and would like to plunge head on into the field of economics that I have entered while on the other hand my plunging must be tempered by the needs and wants of my wife and son. I suspect my dream is on some middle ground. [career + relationship] -111— Several participants described dreams that combined career and self-contexts. One man, age 30, wrote Attaining inner peace and realization of potential. Career is still important, but not at the sacrifice of personal satisfaction and happiness. [career + self] A.wbman, age 30 wrote that her dream was as a well-adjusted woman who wished to pursue a career in which several fields of interest are brought together, including academic and business world. [career + self] Two persons indicated they had a dream of themselves that they described in self and relationship contexts. A 29—year-old woman wrote A new mother and part-time student struggling though looking forward to better times that our studies will bring to us. Poor but happy. [self + relationship] A man, age 30 simply wrote "Student and homemaker." A number of participants indicated a dream that combined the contexts of career, relationship and self. A 29 year old woman executive majoring in English wrote I see myself at the most exciting and personally satisfying period in my life. I have a supportive, loving husband, a successful career and the cgmcrtunity (if I work hard hard) to satisfy some personal goals (improve my creative writing, becoming knowledgable about literature, having the experience of grad school) before I move on to raising a family and becoming necessarily wore 'other' oriented. [career + relationship + self] —112- Another woman, age 30, wrote of her dream in the following way I would like to teach Spanish at the adult ed or junior college level, and eventually -— in next 2 or 3 years -- have children (maybe one's enough). I'm not as gung-ho independent as I was before. [career + relationship + self] Part 18: Important Life Activities Research Question 1b: How do adult wcmen and men in graduate school describe their early adult lives in terms of the life activities that were/are important to them? Part 1b presents the findings regarding the important life activities of the participants over three time periods. The three time periods age 22, middle twenties and current period (ages 28-32) serve as the headings for the presentation of data. 593.22: Each participant was asked to rate each of 21 life activities in questionnaire item 6 using the following scale 5=very important 4=inportant 3=neutral 2=little importance 1=not at all important O=not applicable The questionnaire item presented a grid for each life activity indicating three time periods: "Age 22", "Mid Way", and "Last Six Months." The results of the tabulations for the time period "Age 22“ will be presented first. A table listing all 21 items with nean scores for all, for women and for men is presented followed by a list of the "important" issues (324) for all, for women and for men at age 22. -113~ =.wwflum>fiuom mafia ucmuuogew= mm woouo xcou cw mama moflonHOm one Ae._vse.m A_.NVPP.N Am._vmm.m Ao._v«oo.e Ae.svm~.m Ae.sv_e.m Am._vae.m Am.avs_.m Am._vom.~ Am.svmm.m Am.Pme.m AN._VFF.m Ao.ona.m Am.Pvmm.m Am.sv~m._ A_.Pvee.m ”as.vwss.e lam.vee.m A_.,me.m Am..vms.~ Ao.svmm.m mmmwflamwm Am._vmm.m Ae.svom.m Am.avem. “a._vom.9 Ae.Pvme.~ Am._vom.m l_.svms.m Ao.Pvmw.m Ao._vem.m Am.svs~.m Ae._v_m.m Ae.svom.m Ae._vem.m Am._vmm.m is.~vum.m Am._vmm.m Am._vme.a lm._vsm.s Am._vmm.m Ae.Pvme.~ is._v,~.m Am._vsm.m Am._ome.m Ae.,osm.m Am.avms.m Am.svss.m Am._vws.m Ae._vss.m Am.asem._ is._vms._ Am._vm_.m Am..vem.m Ae.Pv«oo.e l_.—v.mo.e Am._vsm.m A_._v_w.m Ae.svem.m as.avoo.m A©.:hv.m AV._.V©Q.M 5w: Cg; gm: Hmupfi .AV mowosucmuom ea memos soHH mmaua>auom wuflcseaoo ca co>ao>cfl MCMMMMMW . home we cues mecmcoflumaou a: up m o eocu mewuwme new mfimom omens c H moauuwm an xuos ya Cu mucwEufleeno “mambo mcfiwmz . ucmemofio>oo Hmsoooaaoocfi we mcflscflu oo eamauo mo mHHEMM we cues woflu omoao mewcfimucflmz mooww.fimcoflummoooo me mo sesame oooao> m mammooom mwommoaaoo no moon tomsomm co ucoocomwo poo coflu nomuao new muwucoofl sues :Omuwm C30 we moflEooom . nonuo ucmofiwflcmflm m we we H3 ma mcofluMku m mcflococem no u no. c0wmoonfio umwumo mcfimcmev wMAH men: a mcfimmcm: uwoumo >E :H omooaaocx pom mHHfixw ma mewmmouocH oMHH mo memomoHflcm m on maomme mcfiuHEEoo swoop Hmsofi>fiocfi use we mcflomusm uwoumo m mcfloumuw Aucwnnm on mcflofiowo uov mcflucwumm xuos no mmflnmcofiuoawu Hw>muu emooucu mw>fiumcuouao mo museum> o mcfluonxm uwsoosm sows mwsmcoHumeu w>oH o mcflzwfianmumm Maegan no wawmme uOm weoocfi so mcflofi>oum wocwfiuw w>fiuuommom mo xuoauwc w mcfiswfianmumm mcofiumuowmxo w.usoumm we scum mawmme mcflomemmwm cofluooufio Hmcoflummsooo so wcfiocflm m — o mcofiuMfl>wm neurone wo nomads vAx macaw flame .FN .ON .a_ .mF .m— .w_ .mF .e_ .m— .NF .F— .op .m .w .h ' FNMQ‘LOKD >uw>fluo¢ omflq mm wee so“ manua>uuug was; sou muoom came an mwaua>auua mood mo sumsesm I. o_.v wanme :5 .1: =7,,._A , 3., YT, fixngi‘: , I ‘T. -114- Important Life Activities for Age 22 All participants Establishing a love Relationship with Another 4.05(1.1)* meg Establishing a love relationship with another 4.00(1.4) M_en_ Establishing a love relationships with another 4.11(.69) Continuing My intellectual development 4.00(1.0) *Standard deviations given in parantheses () Both men and women rate establishing a love relationship as important or very important at age 22. Men also rate continuing their intellectual development as important at age 22. It is interesting to note that both Hen and women do not regard parenting as an inportant issue at age 22, nor do they rate changing career direction or changing their relationship with their mate as important. Middle Twenties Each participant was asked to rate each of 21 life activities to questionnaire item 6 using the following scale: S=very important 4=inportant 3=neutral 2=little importance 1=not at all important 0=not applicable The questionnaire item presented a grid for each life activity indicating three time periods: Age 22, Mid way, and Last Six Months. —————’—“‘W‘” __.____l______-_._..__ " -115- Middle TWenties The results of the tabulations for the time period Middle Twenties is presented in this section. A table (Table 4.11) listing all 21 life activities with mean scores for all, the women and for men is presented followed by a list of the "important" issues (x_>_4) for all, for women and for nen at the midway period. Any life activities that showed a statistically significant difference between men and women's mean scores (p < .05) is presented in table form showing the distribution of scores for that life activity. A short summary follows that table. Ao._vpe.m A—.Nvmm.m Av.vam.m Ao>.V«vv.v Ava.vhh.m Am._vap_.v Ahw.vhh.m Av.—Vsh.m Am.—vvv.m AN._vmo.m “wh.v«mF.v AF.—th.m Abm.v¥mo.v Amm.v«mo.v Am.wvmo.m Aom.v w—F.v —116- Ao.thh.m Amm.vmm.m Ao.onm.m AN.ono.N Ao.pv*_9.v com: :02 =moflufl>wuom wwHH ucmuuogea AN.vao.m AN.Nan.N Am._vhv.m Ao.—Va_m.v Amm.vaop.v Ap.pvmm.m Ao.ev«m—.v Aw.9vmm.m le.vao.m Ae._vem.m AN._Vem.m Am.Pvmm.m Amm.vwe~.e A_._Vow.m Ao.mvae.~ A~._Vme.m Av.Pvmm.m A—.Fv«mo.v Ao.Fvamr.v Ao.Fv¢¢.N Amm.vvw.m one: swabs A—.~Vwo.m A~.vam.m Am.—vvm.m Amm.vwmm.e Ahm.vva.m AN.Fvwoo.v Amm.vbm.m Am.Fvon.m Ae.Pvem.m Am.Pva.m Ao._v.oo.e AN._VNm.m Aes.vwo_.e AF._vme.m Am.vaN.m .Ao.svea.m Am.rvmw.m Ao.—v>m.m n_._vmw.m Am._vom.m Amm.vhm.m cam: Hmuoe uosuo ucmoflmwcmfim no oumE >E sues mesmcoflumeu m mcfioomncm cofluoouflp uwwumo mchcmeU owed ween m moflmmcmz umwumo as CH omomasocx com waaflxm m5 mchnwpocH mmfla mo modemofiflsm m o» magmas mcfiufleeoo sweep Hmsofi>HoCH C30 2: mcflsmusm uwoumo m mcfluMMum ”pooped ou mcflpfiooo uov mcflucowmm xuos no mmflnmeoflumfiwu Hw>muu caboose ww>flumcuouam mo auwfium> m mcfluofimxm woeoocm some aficmcofluoamn o>oH m mofinwflanmuwm mafieom no magmas MOM oeoocfi on mcfioflsoum mocmflpm w>fiuuommom mo xuozuw: m moanwflaomumm mcoHomuommxo w.ucwuom we eouw magmas mcflumummom :ofiuoouwo Hmcofiummoooo cm mcflocflm .Av homozygouma CH mammE soaaom mcoflumfl>op ppmocmuw P = we woouo grow a“ wmmm new: web so wooden eAx mamas wwflufi>wuoo wowcseeoo CM oo>fio>cfl mcfleoowm mums ma sues Qfismcoflpmeu >E mcflmcwsu Rhos me Go mucweuflpzfio “cameo mcfixmz ucoemoHo>mU Hmouowaaoucfl mE mcflocflucou cflmwuo mo AHflEMw we cues mmflu wono mcficwmucflmz mdoum Hmcoflummoooo we mo uwnEwE cooam> m mcfleooom mwsmowaaoo no wmon .omsomm co ucwocomwo uoc .COWu Ioouflo new huflucopfi cows schema c30 >E maEooom Mada .FN .ON .m— .w_ .m— .m— sua>auo< mums ammucwae maven: woo mwaus>nuoa mesa too muoom saw: an mmaua>auu< muse to semessm .1 __.e wanes -117- Important Life Activities for Middle TWenties All Participants Continuing Intellectual Deve10pment 4.32(88)* Pursuing Own Individual Dream, 4.16(.76) Increasing Skills and Knowledge in Career 4.00(1.22) Becoming a valued Colleague 4.00(1.22) women Pursuing Own Individual Dream 4.26(.65) Continuing Intellectual DevelOpment 4.21(1.03) Becoming My Own Person 4.15(1.06) _ EStablishing a Network of Supportive i Friends 4.15(1.06) Maintaining Close Family Ties 4.10(.99) Providing an Income fer Myself or Family 4.05(1.12) @ Continuing Intellectual Development 4.44(.70) Increasing career Skills 4.16(.73) Becoming valued Colleague 4.11(1.33) Pursuing Own Individual Dream 4.05(.87) Starting a Career 4.04( .96) (519-032) *Standard deviations are listed after each mean in parantheses (). The life activity "Starting a Career" in the middle twenties showed a significant difference between men's and women's ratings of this activity. Below is a table summarizing the distribution of scores and means on this life activity. -118- Table 4.12 —— Distribution of Scores and Means of Participants on Life Activity "Starting a Career" Middle TWenties women(%) Men(%) Total(%) n=19 n=17* n=36 5=Very Important 2(10.5) 7(41.22) 9(25.0) 4=Important 6(31.6) 5(29.4) 11(30.6) 3=Neutral 8(42.1) 4(23.5) 12(33.3) 2=Little Important 2(10.5) 1(5.9) 3(8.3) 1=th Important 0(0) 0(0) 0(0) 0=Not Applicable "1(5.9) 0(0) 1(2.8) Tbtal 19(100) 17(100) 36(100) x2==5.441 D.F.=4 Significance=.245 x all=3.63 x women=3.26 x men=4.05 Significance=.032 *one missing observation Although there was a statistically significant difference between the means of men's and women's ratings on this life activity (p less than .05) the distribution of scores and the chi—square test do not yield statistically significant differences. It is interesting to note however, that 41.2 percent of the men and only 10.5 percent of the women rate "starting a career" as "very important." During the middle twenties continuing intellectual development, Pursuing one's own dream, increasing skills and knowledge in a career, and becoming a valued colleague were rated as important life activities by the participants as a group. Men and women share as important the life activities pursuing their own dream and continuing their intellectual development. -119- However, they do differ in their rating of other important life activities to them in their mid twenties. Wbmen rate becoming their own person, establishing a network of supportive friends, maintaining close family ties with their family of origin and providing an income for themselves or family as important life activities. Men as a group did not rate these activities as inportant. Men rate increasing their career skills, becoming a valued colleague and starting a career as important life activities at the period midway through the twenties. Wbmen do not rate these as important life activities to them as a group. Current Period (ages 28—32): Each participant was asked to rate twenty—one life activities for the current life period by using a scale from (1) not important to (5) very important. For purposes of answering the research question, the mean scores for all 21 life activities will be listed along with the means for women and Hen. The activities with a mean value of 4 or greater will be identified as "important" life activities and ranked in order with the highest mean first. For those life activities that resulted in a statistically significant difference in responses between women and men, a table presenting the distribution of scores for each life activity will be given. -120- . 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Immune new nunucmon no. nmeuo nemononcmnm ma_>en as on chwumHon m monoomncm no on cu. c0+mvmnno noonmo monmcmno . owed QED: Nomenomcoz noonmo we on moccasonx new maanxm me nmmonocH owna mo >3Q0m0ancm o co mnomme mowuneeoo Ewono Hedon>MUCn cso_ee monounsm nwwnmo m menunmuw Aucmnmm cu mononooo nov monoconom xnoa no monanOnumHon Hm>onu bosons» mo>nnmcnouan mo wumnnm> m mannonxm nocuocm sues oncmCOMumen m>oH m monnmnaooumm mawemw no mammme no“ oeoogn cm monon>onm mocwnnm m>nunogmom mo xnoaum: m monsmwaomumm chHumuoomxo m.ucmnmm we eonu “Home: monumnmmwm . cOMuownno acnummoooo so menoCMm chMumn>oo onmocmumup anew ._m .om .mp .mF .hF .09 .mw .nmw>nuom «one mega ucwnnoo men on moflun>nuu¢ mung non mnoom com: an mowun>nuo< mung mo unmeesm 1: mp.v manna -121- Important Life Activities for Ages 28—32 (Current Period) All Participants Continuing Intellectual Development Pursuing My Own Dream Making Deeper Commitments to Wbrk Increasing Career Skills and Knowledge Finding an Occupational Direction Becoming My Own Person Exploring Options Maintaining Close Ties with Family of Origin Providing an Income for Myself or Family Cbmmiting Myself to a Philosophy of Life Enhancing Relationship with Mate Wbmen Continuing Intellectual Development Making Deeper Commitments to Work Pursuing My Own Dream Becoming My Own Person ' Finding an Occupational Direction Becoming a valued Colleague Establishing a Network of Supportive Friends Increasing Career Skills Exploring Options Providing an Income Comniting Myself to a Philosophy of Life Maintaining Close Ties with Family of Origin Starting a Career Mam. Continuing Intellectual Development Pursuing My Own Dream Increasing Career Skills Becoming a valued Colleague Enhancing Relationship with Mate Making Deeper Commitments to Wbrk Establishing a Love Relationship with Another Finding an Occupational Direction Exploring Options Maintaining Close Ties with Family of Origin Providing an Income Commiting Myself to a Philosophy of Life 4.83(.37)* 4.52(.69) 4.44(.87) 4.36(1.19) 4.33(1.o1) 4.25(.96) 4.16(1.0) 4.13(.79) 4.13(1.0) 4.11(1.0) 4.11(1.4) 4.89(.31) 4.63(.59) 4.57(.60) 4.52(1.02) 4.52(1.07) 4.47(1.17) 4.42(1.07) (sig. .008) 4.31(2.1) 4.26(1.2) 4.26(1.1) 4.21(.97) 4.21(.71) 4.15(1.4) 4.00(1.0) *Standard deviations are given in parantheses after each mean. -122- The life activity "Establishing a Network of Supportive Friends" showed a significant difference between men's and women's ratings of this activity. Below is a table swmnarizing the distribution of scores and means on this life activity. Table 4.14 -— Distribution of Scores and Means of Participants on Life Activity “Establishing a Network of Supportive Friends" at current period. Wbmen(%) Men(%) Tbtal(%) n=19 n=17 n=36* 5=very Important 13(68.4) 4(23.5) 17(47.2) 4=Important 3(15.8) 3(17.6) 6(16.7) 3=Neutral 2(10.5) 6(35.3) 8(22.2) 2=Little Important 0(0) 3(17.6) 3(8.3) 1=Not Important 1(5.3) 1(5.9) 2(5.6) Total 19(100) 17(100) 36(100) x2=9.683 D.F.=4 Significance=.04 x all=3.91 x women=4.42 x men=3.35 Significance=.008 *one missing case Sixty—eight percent of the women indicated that establishing a "network of supportive friends" was "very important“ as opposed to 23.5 percent of the men. It is interesting to note the number of life activities the participants considered important at the current period. As a group, the participants rated 11 out of the 21 activities as important or very important. Wbmen rated 13 of the 21 items as important or very important. Men rated twelve of the activities at the current period as hmgortant or very important. Perhaps at the current time more issues are vying for important while activities at earlier periods -123- have recessed in memory so only the very important were remembered. It is interesting to note that the issue "changing my relationship with my mate" is rated the lowest in importance for the group, for women and fer men. For men, separating themselves from their parent's expectations is not an important life activity for them now and is not very important fer the group as a whole or for women. Men and women share many of the life activities in common by rating them as important or very important. waever, there are a few differences in the rated important life activities. Wbmen rate becoming their own person, establishing a network of supportive friends and starting a career as important life activities while men as group do not. Men rate enhancing their relationship with their mate and establishing a love relationship with another as important life activities while women as a group do not rate these issues as important. Multivariate Analysis of Important Life Activities Over Time A.multivariate analysis of variance for repeated measures (Finn Analysis) was conducted on Questionnaire Item 6 (life activities for three time periods). The analysis was run using three scales constructed from the 21 life activities in question 6. The scales were "career," "relation," and “personal development.“ EaCh scale contained 7 life activities from.questionnaire item 6 (see Appendix 3 for breakdown of the scales). The reliability of the scales was found to be at the .72 level or higher. -124- Men's and women's mean scores on each of the scales for each time period were compared and any trends over time were analyzed. This was done to see any shift in the relative rating of importance of these issues over time for men and women. There were no statistically significant differences between men‘s and women‘s mean scores on any scales over time. It was found, however, that for all participants, there was a statistically significant "constant effect" for the scales career and personal development. This indicated that the means on these scales did not change significantly over time for the group as a whole. Part 1C: Relative Importance of Career, Relationships and Personal Development Research Question 1c: How do adult women and men in graduate school describe their early adult lives in terms of the relative importance of the issues of career, relationships with others and personal development? were: Participants were asked "As you think about your early adult life from age 22 to the time you decided to enroll in graduate school at MSU, rank as many categories as apply in order of their importance to you then with one (1) being the most important for you, two (2) next important, and so forth." -125— The categories listed for them to rank were: Establishing or enhancing a career or work life Establishing or enhancing a close interpersonal relationship(s) Exploring a variety of personal and work options Marriage and Family life Pursuing my own development A mean score was computed for each category. The results are included in Table 4.15. The lowest mean is the highest rank in this question. Table 4.15 -— Means for Relative Importance of Career, Relationships with Others and Personal Development for Period from age 22 to time of Enrollment in Graduate School Category Total Wbmen Men x* x x career 2.64(1.3) 2.73(1.2) 2.55(1.4) Relationships 2.93(1.2) 2.58(1.1) 3.33(1.2) Cptions 3.51(1.2) 3.66(1.3) 3.35(1.2) Marriage/Family 3.20(1.5) 3.31(1.6) 3.11(1.5) Development 2.36(1.3) 2.21(1.1) 2.52(1.4) *Standard deviations given in parantheses (). The rankings of these categories, from the lowest mean (highest rank) to the highest mean for all, for women and for men are listed below. For the Entire Group ______________________ Personal Development 2-36 Establishing Career 2'64 Establishing Personal Relations 2.93 Marriage/Family 3.20 EXploring Options 3.51 —126- For Women Personal Development 2.21 Establishing Personal Relations 2.58 Establishing Career 2.73 Marriage/Family 3 31 Exploring Options 3. 6 For Men Personal Development 2.52 Establishing Career 2.55 Marriage/Family 3.11 Establishing Personal Relations 3.33 Exploring Options 3.35 For the entire group, as well as for men and for women, "pursuing my own development" was ranked the most relatively important issue for the time period from age 22 to enrollment in graduate school. Establishing a career life was ranked second by the group as a whole and by men. Men's rankings of personal development and career are very close. For women, establishing a close interpersonal relationship(s) ranks second. The third-ranked item for the entire group was establishing close interpersonal relationships; for women it was establishing a career life and for men marriage and family. Marriage and family was ranked fourth by all participants as a group and for women. Men ranked establishing close interpersonal relationships as fourth. Exploring a variety of personal and work oPtions was ranked last by the entire group, men and women. Middle Twenties The question related to the relative importanCe Of the issues 0f career, personal relationships and personal development was asked only -127- once for the time period from age 22 to the decision to enroll in graduate school. The time period midway was not assessed. However, the findings for the period age 22 to the decision to enroll in graduate school probably represent a combined assessment of those two time periods. Current Period (Ages 28-32) Participants were asked the same question about the relative importance of the issues of career, relationships with others and personal development as they were for the time period age 22 to the decision to enroll in graduate school. The categories listed for them to rank were Establishing or enhancing a career or work life Establishing or enhancing a close interpersonal relationship(s) Exploring a variety of personal and work options Marriage and Family Life Pursuing my own development A mean score was computed for each category. The results are included in Table 4.16. The lowest mean is the highest rank in.this question. Table 4.16 —- Means for Relative Importance of Career, Relationships with Others and Personal Development New Category Total Mean* Wbmen Mean Men Mean Career 2.54(1.2) 2.63(1.0) 2.44(1.3) Relationships 3.59(1.0) 3.50(.96) 3.68(1.0) Cptions 3.62(1.2) 3.66(1.2) 3.57(1.1) Marriage/Family 2.55(1.5) 2.64(1.7) 2.47(1.2) Development 2.13(1.2) 1.94(1.0) 2.33(1.4) *Standard deviations given in parantheses (). -128— The rankings of these categories, from the lowest mean (highest rank) to the highest mean for all, for women and for men are listed below. For the Entire Group Personal Development 2.13 Career 2.54 Marriage/Family 2 . 55 Establishing Personal Relations 3.59 Exploring Options 3.62 For Women Personal Development 1.94 Career 2.63 Marriage/Family 2.64 Establishing Personal Relations 3.50 Exploring Options 3.66 For Men Personal Development 2.33 Career 2.44 Marriage/Family 2 . 47 Exploring Options 3.57 Establishing Personal Relations 3.68 For the entire group, as well as for women and men, personal development was ranked the most relatively important issue for the current period in their lives. Establishing or enhancing a career life was ranked second by the entire group, by women and by men. Marriage and family was ranked by the entire group, women and men as a very close third in terms of relative importance. Establishing or enhancing personal relationships was ranked fourth by the entire group and by women while men ranked exploring options as fourth. The entire group and women ranked exploring options as last while men ranked establishing or enhancing personal relationships as last. The means -129— for career and marriage and family are so close that it appears they tie in importance, although they clearly follow personal development as most important at this current time. Part 2: The Early Adult Development of Women and Men in Terms of Levinson's Concept of the Life Structure The preceding section of the presentation and analysis of the data was concerned at looking at the early adult development of the entire group of participants cross—sectionally using three particular developmental variables as the focus for investigation. This section provides a longitudinal view across individual subjects. Levinson's concept of the life structure provides an holistic perspective to use for a longitudinal analysis of the early adult development of persons. The life structure concept stresses the interpenetration of self and world to create a structure whose main ommamnents include occupation, marriage and family and related issues in a person's life. Using this broad structure, life histories can be read over longitudinally to see if the initial life structure formed in the twenties changes or shifts during the remainder of the twenties and into the Age Thirty Transition. In order to conduct such a review, the life histories that each participant wrote in the Early Adult Timeline were read carefully. A life history worksheet was made for each subject containing his or her Early Adult timeline broken down by the life events each had cited. After concluding this review for each participant, the life histories were grouped into four categories using the life structure as the element of analysis. These four groups included: -130-— Life Structure Changers ’ Life Structure Modifiers Life Structure Stabilizers Constant Changers DOOM“ o o 0 These who had definitely changed their earlier life structure profoundly were categorized as Life Structure Changers. These had changed the focus from a previous life structure to a new and different life structure configuration. The Life Structure Modifiers were those who formed an initial life structure and added to it, embellished it, usually by job changes, family responsibilities or relative adjustments in these two. All indicated some particular change in their twenties which was not as drastic as those who are Life Changers. The Life Structure Stabilizers were those who formed an initial life structure and maintained it constantly throughout their twenties with no major changes in focus. Two of the participants had not fashioned an initial life structure to change, modify or stabilize in their twenties. These persons were constantly changing from one direction to the next on a ' yearly basis so that no life structure could be ascertained. One woman and one man comprise the "Constant Changers." .A summary of participants using the life structure category by sex is listed below. -131-— Table 4.17 - Distribution of Participants by Life Structure Categories by Sex of Participants Category ‘Women n=19 Men n=18 All n=37 Life Structure Changers 12(63.16) 4(22.22) 16(43.24) Life Structure bbdifiers 5(26.32) 9(50.0) 14(37.83) Life Structure Stabilizers 1(5.26) 4(22.22) 5(13.51) Constant Changers 1(5.26) 1(5.55) 2(5.4) Total 19 18 37 Although over 80 percent of the participants have changed their life structures somewhat or greatly during their twenties, noticeable difference appear between women and men. Wbmen more than men changed their life structure; men more than women modified or stabilized their life structure. Several case histories are presented below to illustrate the life structure categories described above. Life Structure Changers Ben*(age 30) Ben described his early adult life in terms of his marriage and his career in natural resources. As he described his twenties, his career and marriage were stable components of his life from ages 22—29. During this time he completed his bachelor's degree and had two jobs within the forest service. H0wever, at age 29, he and his wife divorced, his career, whiCh had been more a means for income in the past few years than a source of strength, paled in importance and he left the upper peninsula to enroll in graduate school at MSU in political science, a field he is drawn to. His priorities and life ~132- structure certainly changed markedly and he is now in the process of forming a new life structure. *Pseudonyms are used in all the case histories Barbara (age 32) A Vista volunteer during her early twenties, Barbara moved to Hawaii and worked for a while in a law firm as a secretary, met her husband-to—be and moved with him to California. She spent the next four years of that period finishing up her undergraduate degree, attempting to become pregnant and beginning to become more interested in research in her field of study. During her time in school she met a variety of people who offered different viewpoints on life. She took a year off to go to Europe and upon her return she and her husband separated, she pursued an MS in counseling and experienced a growth in personal self-esteem, feeling a sense of pride and personhood she had not felt during her twenties. She moved to Michigan to pursue advanced degree work in her field of concentration. Barbara's discussion of her re-birth, in terms of her personal identity and self-esteem, is similar to a number of descriptions written by other women in the Life Structure Change group. The life structure change occured during her undergraduate experience and research studies, was followed by a year off to explore and then the decision to separate from her husband. The quality of her life and the relationship of its components, from a part-time worker, homemaker and undergraduate student to a PhD prospect with a sense of self-esteem is a marked shift. -133- Joe (age 30) By age 22, Joe had been married two years and was working hard at "making it" within his particular organization. At age 23 he was divorced by his wife, spent a year traveling, doing odd jobs and "sorting things out." At 25 he returned to undergraduate study, started his own business and succeeded beyond belief. During this time he also taught college classes and had a number of "delightful" affairs. His business grew and prospered, his life as a successful bachelor was fulfilling and he stayed with this life structure for over four years. A time came though when he either had to expand the business or sell it; this time also coincided with meeting his wife-to-be. Reassessing his life, his goals and priorities, he decided to pursue a career in teaching, which he really enjoyed more than the business, marry Betty and return to full-time graduate status in Michigan. This major life structure revision was done at age 30. Mimi (age 28) Mimi's life structure is akin to other women in the study. She graduated from college at age 23 and married soon thereafter. For two years she worked at jobs in her degree area and at age 261got pregnant, quit her job and had her first child. She raised her daughter at home for a year and a half. When she became pregnant with her second child, her mother suddenly died and Mimi realized "it was then that I really felt that I didn't want to pursue my undergraduate area at all (retailing). And it was then I realized the reality of life so to speak and decided to pursue what I wanted to do. What I loved to do, children." She and her husband moved to East Lansing so -134— that she could pursue her graduate studies (child development). Although the exterior components of her life structure -- husband and children —~ have not changed, she has changed her internal motivations to pursue study and a career in an area that she had neglected in the past. As she writes "I am very happy with.my change at this point." Her story is akin to women's in Stewart's study who opted for marriage and career and at the Thirties Transition sought for a more equitable making. A.number of the women who are Life Structure Changers changed their life structure from a marriage relationship in which the husband was the primary component and her own development was secondary, to life structures characterized by the absence of a man or a more egalitarian relationship with a new'man in their lives. The theme running through almost all the women's accounts is a feeling of rebirth, at finding themselves. However, two women in this group described their life structure change in terms of taking on marital and family roles fer the first time in their late twenties. One was Helen. Helen (age 30) A fun—loving world traveller throughout most of her twenties, Helen was not interested in settling down and was not particularly interested in completing her education. Hewever, with renewed purpose she finished her undergraduate degree at age 26, floated around for a year thereafter and decided to enter a master's degree program. She finished her degree at age 29. She met Dan, her husband-to-be, decided to marry and follow him to Michigan. Her enrollment in ~135— graduate school is primarily because she's here with him. The chapter titles she gives for her own life tell the tale of her life structure shift: Her twenties "Adventuring and Learning", the current period "Marriage and More Studying", and the next period "Helen Settles Down." For Helen, marriage and a permanent relationship was a shift in her life structure as a single, independent woman. As she writes of her vision of herself now "I would like to teach Spanish at the adult ed or junior college level and eventually —- in the next 2 or three years -— have children (maybe one's enough). I‘m not as gung-ho independent as I was before." Life Structure Modifiers The life structure modifiers were primarily men who made job changes, married or started having families during their twenties. For these men, their focus was primarily on career so that these other changes were modifications, not life structure changes. One case is the case of David. David (age 30) David graduated with a degree in physics at age 22 and enlisted in the US Navy. For five years he lived within the Naval organization, learning a great many things through experience on board nuclear submarines and on other assignments for the military. At 27 he married and continued his career within the Navy and at age 29 his son was born. His description of his twenties includes the addition of his marriage and family as a tempering of his occupational pursuits. wanting something better for his family and himself, he enrolled in -136— graduate school, also with the financial help of the U.S. Navy. His life structure was modified to include his wife and then his son and his career—focus was widened to include his life as a husband and father. However, there is no sense that he drastically changed or jettisoned a previous life structure for the current life structure. Of the five women who are life structure modifiers, two can best be described as having early twenties life structures characterized as "diffuse." These women were living with their parents and working at "jobs" during their early twenties. Both described life structure modifications as stimulated by marriage and more career-related interests. These are not seen as life structure changes but as additions to a somewhat diffuse and "open" life structure. The other women in this group were career—oriented women who modified their career goals during their twenties. TWo women were married and maintained their relationship with their husbands as they changed career interests. Another woman, single, returned to full—time study to complete an undergraduate degree and therefore altered her life structure slightly by being unemployed while she completed her studies. Life Structure Stabilizers The Life Structure Stablilizers were predominantly men. These persons as a group had formed a structure early on -— marriage, family, an occupation within an organization -- and maintained it. Two men represent different dimensions wihin this life structure stabilizer group, Henry and Rick. -137— Henry (age 28) Henry graduated from college, married and accepted an officer's commission in the Air Force at age 22. After realizing he didn't care for flying, he pursued his interest in criminal justice in the military. His early adult life is characterized by moves to different military installations, the addition of a child to his family and now his enrollment in graduate school paid for by the Air Force to study criminal justice. Not much has changed for Henry in the last six years —— his life structure has remained constant. Rick (age 31) Not much has changed for Rick either since age 22. There have been two or three constants in his life structure: a job within the same field at the same institution; a love of schooling (he has been enrolled constantly in university classes, picking up two bachelor's degrees and currently beginning a master's degree); and an interpersonal relationship with a woman. Rick writes that the balance between these three elements to form a quality life is what is important to him. In his description of his twenties, it is his woman friend's ups and downs that he describes, not his own life. "Laid—back" and mellow, Rick has established a life structure that meets his needs and he has not altered it significantly in nine years. One woman is characterized as a Life Structure Stabilizer. Bette (age 32) Bette graduated from college at age 23 after a stormy undergraduate career as a sorority woman with active political interests. At age 24 she met her lover Sam and moved with him to a -138- variety' of locations in the northeast. They married when she was 26 and she has been moving with him ever since to new locations as his jobs dictate. Bette has worked at odd jobs, taken graduate classes and has primarily fbcussed her life structure around her husband's career and her own internal struggles. Her structure - married with no career and no children -- has remained constant. What also has remained constant is her desire to "find herself" and to do something of "worth." Her current dream is pessimistic: "Old, worthless and desperate, all self inflicted." She is returning to graduate school at MSU to find a direction for her life. Part 3: Motivation for Graduate School Enrollment for Men and Women in the Age Thirty Transition Part 3 present the findings regarding graduate school enrollment. The Research questions 3a, 3b and 3c provide the headings for the pre- sentation of the data on reasons for graduate enrollment, reasons for enrolling now and catalyst events leading to enrollment. Research QUestion 3d provides the heading for the presentation of results concerning the relative transition or stability in participants‘ lives currently, draws relationships between transition status and graduate- enrollment and reports the perceived benefits of graduate school by transition status. Research Question 3a: HOW do adult males and adult females in graduate school describe the motivation for graduate enrollment in terms of the reasons for enrolling in a graduate program at MSU? The participants gave a wide variety of answers to the question "Why did you enroll in graduate courses or a degree pregram at MSU?" Table 4.18 summarizes those findings. -139- Table 4.18 -— Distribution of Participants by Reasons for Graduate Enrollment Vkmem) Men Total n=19 n=18 n=37 (%) (%) (%) Program, 5(26.3) 2(11.1) 7(18.9) Location 0(0) 1(5.6) 1(2.7) Frog and Location 2(10.5) 2(11.1) 4(10.8) Career Reason 3(15.8) 4(22.2) 7(18.9) Personal Develop 1(5.3) 1(5.6) 2(5.4) Academic Prep 3(15.8) 0(0) 3(8.1) Tuition Paid 0(0) 1(5.6) 1(2.7) Career & Relation 3(15.8) 1(5.6) 4(10.8) Career & Self 2(10.5) 1(5.6) 3(8.1) Tuition & Program 0(0) 3(16.7) 3(8.1) Program & Self 0(0) 1(5.6) 1(2.7) Career & Program 0(0) 1(5.6) 1(2.7) Total . 19 18 37 x2=12. 744 D.F.=11 Significance=.3104 Two categories, program and career-related reasons, were most often cited by participants as their reason for enrolling in a graduate program at MSU. .A number indicated the program plus the location was a reason for enrolling while reasons given in a career and relationship context were also given. Because of the wide number of categories created through the first analysis of the open-ended responses, a number of categories were collapsed into five larger categories for purposes of a more discriminate analysis. -140— The categories "Career reasons“, "career+relation", “career+self", "career+program" were collapsed into "Career." "Program," "program+location," and "program+self" were combined into category "Program." "Personal Development" and "Academic Preparation" were combined to form "Personal And Academic Development" "Tuition Paid" and "Tuition+Program" were combined to form "Tuition." "Location" was a lone response that kept its own category. Table 4.19 summarizes those findings. Table 4.19 —- Distribution of Participants by Collapsed Categories for Reasons for Enrolling in a Graduate Program at MSU Category Wbmen (n=19) Men (n=18) Total (n=37) Career 8(42.10) 7(38.88) 15(40.54) Program 7(36.84) 5(27.77) 12(32.43) Pers & Acad Prep 4(21.05) 1(5.55) 5(13.51) Tuition 0(0) 4(22.2) 4(10.81) Location 0(0) 1(5.55) 1(2.7) Total 19 18 37 More than 72 percent of the participants described their reasons for enrolling in graduate courses or a degree program at MSU for reasons related to career issues or to the particular graduate program in their field. Those programs specifically mentioned were programs in the School of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Hotel and Restaurant Program and the Clinical Psychology Program. There were no significant differences between men's and women's responses in either "career" or "program" responses. However, 22.2 percent of the men and none of the w0men gave "tuition paid" as a response to why they ~141— enrolled at MSU. Another difference is that 21.1 percent of the women and only 5.5 percent (1 man) of the men indicate that they enrolled for personal or academic development reasons. Research on Question 3b: How do adult males and adult females in graduate school describe the motivation for graduate enrollment in terms of the rationale for enrolling now. Participants were asked "Why was it important to enroll now as opposed to some other time in your life?" yielded a large variety of responses. findings. This open-ended question Table 4.20 summarizes those Table 4.20 -— Distribution of Participants by Reasons for Enrolling Now in Graduate School women Men Total n=19 n=18 =37 Age 5(26.31) 8(44.44) 13(35.13) Career-Related 2(10.52) 3(16.66) 5(13.51) aney Available 3(15.78) 1(5.55) 4(10.81) Self+Relation 2(10.52) 1(5.55) 3(8.10) Self Development 2(10.52) 1(5.55) 3(8.10) Location 2(10.52) 0(0) 2(5.4) Age+Career 2(10.52) 0(0) 2(5.4) Age+Money+Career 0(0) 2(11.11) 2(5.4) Age+Career+Relation 1(5.26) 0(0) 1(2.7) Knew What wanted 0(0) 1(5.55) 1(2.7) No Obligations 0(0) 1(5.55) 1(2.7) Total 19(100) 18(100) 37(100) Thirty—five percent indicated they enrolled in graduate school now because of age—related reasons. Forty-four percent of the men and —142— 26.31 percent of the women gave this response. Thirteen percent said career—related reasons prompted their return to graduate school now and 10.81 percent indicated that money being available made it possible to attend. Three women and one man indicated this. Age or age plus another factor accounted for 18 of the 37 responses (48.64 percent). Because the diversity and richness of each response was so marked, a sampling of the open—ended responses is presented below. The sense of right timing linked with age was mentioned by many respondents. One woman, age 29, wrote I finally realized that I wanted more from life as far as a job was concerned. Since my husband is a full time student it is easy for men to be a student also. Better do it now before I get older. [age + career + relation] A man, age 29, wrote that "I was out of school 5 years and was feeling ‘rusty' at this particular time." One woman, age 29, wrote "I was afraid to wait any longer to take steps toward a career change for fear that I would sink irretrivably into my rut." A man, age 30, wrote, "I realize I'm getting older. I feel it's now or never." The sense of personal timing as well as family timing (self+relation) was mentioned by two women. One woman, age 28, said of her return now: "I feel a sense of urgency now in that I keep getting older. Also it is easier to go to school part time with young -143— children." Another woman, age 31 and married with 2 children wrote: "It seemed that I was ready to»return to an academic setting and pursue my life's goal and that my family was also ready for this." Several persons indicated they returned to graduate school now 1 because of unsatisfactory current jobs. [career related] One woman, age 32, wrote candidly, "My job was getting boring; the state budget is in sad shape." A.29 year-old male agriculture major from out of state wrote, "I needed a Change from my previous work situation and I believed it was time to pursue my PhD work if I was ever to complete it." .A woman, 28 and single, wrote, "Because I had to get out of the job situation I was in and I thought my life was going nowhere socially. I was becoming paranoid about spending the rest of my life by myself." Two women, who reported the availability of money as a reason why they enrolled now, wrote about it in the following way. A woman, age 29, wrote "I needed to know I could support myself, economically and psychologically, before I could have this luxury." Another woman, age 29, wrote, "After 5 years working at the same job, I needed a break. I was able to take a one year educational leave of absence and I had saved enough.money to do so." Some participants gave self development reasons for returning to graduate school. A.30 year old man wrote "personal development and a reordering of priorities" as his reason for returning now. A woman age 28 wrote, "I had set a goal for myself of taking some kind of action before the end of '81." -144- These descriptive accounts of why persons return to graduate study now reveal the complex nature of the decision-making process. Age factors, job factors, personal and social factors all interact to prompt these graduate student to return to study. However, age, career factors as well as money available for graduate school were the reasons most often cited fer graduate school enrollment now. Research Question 3c: How do adult males and adult females in graduate school describe the motivation fOr graduate enrollment in terms of the presence or absence of a catalyst event for enrolling and the nature of the catalyst? The participants were asked two questions to gather information about this particular research question. One question asked "was- there a specific event or realization that served as a catalyst fer you to begin graduate studies now? Yes No" The second question read "(If you answered 'yes') please describe the catalyst event or realization that served to cause you to begin graduate studies how." Thirty-five of the thirty-seven participants indicated 'yes', there was a catalyst event or realization that led to their graduate enrollment. The descriptions of the catalyst were numerous and varied. Table 4.21 summarizes the catalysts. -145- Table 4.21 —— Distribution of Participants by Catalyst Leading 1 to Enrollment in Graduate School Category Wbmen M§n_ Egg; Jbb disatisfaction 3(16.7) 3(16.7) 6(16.7) Job advancement 2(11.1) 4(22.2) 6(16.7) Tuition Paid 0(0) S(27.8) 5(13.9) Relation Change 3(16.7) 2(11.1) 5(13.9) Encourage from Others 3(16.7) 2(11.1) 5(13.9) Class Experience 2(11.8)* 0(0) 2(5.0) Age 2(11.8) 0(0) 2(5.0) Desperate 1(5.6) 0(0) 1(2.8) Change Near 1(5.6) 0(0) 1(2.8) Guilt 0(0) 1(5.6) 1(2.8) Total 17(100) 18(100) 35(100) Natural Progression 0(0) 1(5.6) 1(2.8) *Only those reporting a catalyst for graduate enrollment are listed The most noticeable difference between.men and women is in the category "tuition paid." Five men and no women indicated this as the catalyst to enroll. Three women and two men indicated a "relationship change" as a category of a catalyst to enroll. Their own words tell the tale in clearer terms. One man, age 30, wrote, "Realized I had been holding back in a lot of ways -— Separation from my wife was the event that started the process." Another man, age 31, indicated "I was unhappy with the person I was living with , yet she loved me and I loved her. -- I realized that:my unhappiness was really a dissatisfaction with myself." The three women who offered catalyst descriptions that were categorized as "relation change" gave different relation changes. One woman, age 28, said the catalyst to enroll was "the death of my mother." Another, recently married at age 30, wrote "Marriage and the —146- thought that if I had an MA in my field I would have more credibility as an adult ed instructor. This, however, was secondary [to my marriage]." Another woman, age 28, wrote that "Upheaval in the direction I was headed in personal relationship seemed to fbcus my attention back on career life." Five of the participants indicated that encouragement from others, primarily employers, was the catalyst to enroll. Of the two women who wrote that an experience in a class led to their enrolhent as a graduate student, one woman, age 29, wrote, "crying at my first post BA university class was pretty graphic!" The one man, age 29, who indicated that the catalyst for him to enroll was guilt, wrote, "Guilt...of the knowledge that education is one thing no one can ever deny a person and it's in my backyard." Research Question 3d: HOW do adult women and men in graduate‘ school describe the motivation for graduate enrollment in terms of the feeling of relative transition or stability in their lives now? Men and women who have enrolled in graduate school at the Age Thirty Transition gave a variety of reasons why they have enrolled, why now and if there was a catalyst to enroll. _ Tb more directly link graduate enrollment to adult development concepts, participants were asked a number of questions related to the degree of stability or transition in their lives now. Two questions were asked to assess the feeling of relative transition or stability now. The first question asked "Compared to other periods in your life, do you feel that you are now in a period of stability or transition in -147- your life and work? Please circle one number below." The scale ranged from 1 ("I'm in a period of transition") to 5 ("I'm in a period of stability."). Table 4.22 summarizes the findings. Table 4.22 -— Distribution of Participants by for Transition or Stability New women Men Total Transition 6(31.6), 3(16.7) 9(24.3) Some Transition 5(26.3) 8(44.4) 13(35.1) Neutral 3(15.8) 1(5.6) 4(1o.5) Some Stability 2(10.5) 3(16.7) 5(13.5) Stability 3(15.8) 3(16.7) 6(16.2) Total 19(100) 18(100) 37(100) x2=2.867 D.F.=4 Significance=.5803 X all=2.62 (sd.1.421) Sixty percent of the participants indicated they are in a period of transition or some transition.' Almost 58 percent of the women and 61 percent of the men.indicate this is true for them. A second question asked to determine the relative feeling of transition or stability in participants' lives at this time read Please check below the statement that most nearly describes your situation at this point in your life. (If more than one statement applies, put a one (1) by the statement that is most accurate, and put a two (2) by the other relevant statement.) th mudh has changed for me in the last several years; I"m in a stable situation with respect to my life and work I've just come through a huge transition period in my life and M work I feel Itm consolidating a major period of personal and/or professional change I feel I'm on the verge of making alot of changes in my life and work -148— Table 4.23 ~— Distribution of Participants by Ranks of NUmber One for Transition or Stability Categories women Men Total Net much change 2(10.52) 3(16.67) 5(13.51) Just thru transition 5(26.31) 5(27.78) 10(27.02) Consolidating change 5(26.31) 8(44.44) 13(35.13) On verge of change 7(36.84) 2(11.11) 9(24.32) Total 19(100) 18(100) 37(100) Thirteen and one-half percent indicated that not mudh has changed for them. They are clearly in a period of stability. TWenty—seven percent indicated they had just been through a huge transition while 35.1 percent indicated they were consolidating a major period of personal or professional change. These transitions occurred in the recent past, previous to graduate enrollment. Nine participants or 24.3 percent indicated they were "on the verge of making a lot of changes" in their lives. Transition Status and Reasons for Enrolling In order to assess the relationship between these assessments of stability, recent transition and upcoming transition and graduate enrollment, responses fOr graduate enrollment were tabulated fOr each- transition status category mentioned above. The following tables summarize those tabulations using the collapsed categories established in Table 4.19. -149-- Table 4.24 —— Distribution of Participants by Reasons for Enrolling in Graduate School fOr Those Indicating "th Much has Changed" Enrollment Reasons Total n:5 Wbmen n=2 Men n=3 (%) (%) (%) Program 2(40) 2(100) 0(0) Career 1(20) 0(0) 1(33.3) Thition 2(40) 0(0) 2(66.6) Total 5(100) 2(100) 3(100) Table 4.25 - Distribution of Participants by Reasons for 'Enrolling in Graduate School for Those Indicating "Just Through a Transition" Enrollment Reasons Wbmen n=5 Men n=5 Total n=10 (%) (%) (%) Program 0(0) 2(40) 2(20) Career 4(80) 3(60) 7(70) Per. & Ac. Development 1(20) 0(0) 1(10) TDtal 10(100) 5(100) 5(100) Table 4.26 -— Distribution of Participants by Reasons for Enrolling in Graduate School for Those "Consolidating Period of Major Change" Enrollment Reasons Wbmen n=5 Men n=8 Total n=13 (%) (%) (%) Program 4(80) 2(25) 6(46.15) Career 1(20) 3(37.5) 4(30.7) Thition 0(0) 2(25) 2(15.38) Location 0(0) 1(12.5) 1(7.69) -150- Table 4.27 -— Distribution of Participants by Reasons for Enrolling in Graduate School fer Those "On the verge of Change" Enrollment Reasons Wbmen n=7 Men n=2 Tbtal n=9 (2;) m (a) Program 1(14.3) 1(50) 2(22.2) Career 3(42.8) 0(0) 3(33.3) Per. & Ac. Development 3(42.8) 1(50) 4(44.4) Total 7(100) 2(100) 9(100) Those who said that not much has changed in the last few years gave career, program or tuition paid reasons for enrolling in graduate school. Most persons indicating they were just through a transition enrolled for career reasons (70 percent). Forty-six percent of those consolidating a period of major change enrolled for reasons of the program offered at MSU. Career reasons were given by 30.7 percent of those consolidating a period of major change. For those on the verge of transition, 44.4 percent enrolled in graduate school for personal or academic development reasons. Of the 3 women indicating academic development, 2 said they were trying graduate courses to see if they could do it while one woman was ~151— preparing for applying to another degree program after she finished prerequisites fer that program. The one man in this category enrolled because "I am somewhat of an introvert. I felt an atmosphere sudh as this would help me to grow out of it." One third of those on the verge of transition enrolled for career reasons and 22.2 percent enrolled because of a program at MSU they wanted. Perceived Benefits of Graduate Enrollment A slightly different approach was taken to see the relationship between the graduate school experience and negotiating changes in the participants' lives. The thrust of the question was the utility of graduate school to make a change in their lives, not whether they enrolled because of a transition. The participants were asked "Is being a graduate student helping you make any changes in your life or negotiate any transitions in your life and work? Please circle one: (1) not really (2) slightly helpful (3) somewhat helpful (4) very helpful in transition (5) extremely helpful in transition." The results of that question are given in Table 4.28. Table 4.28 - Distribution of Participants by Responses for Whether or Net Graduate School Helpful in Making a Change or Negotiating a.Transition Wbmen Men Tbtal Not Really 4(21.11) 3(16.7) 7(18.9) Slightly Helpful 1(5.3) 0(0) 1(2.7) Somewhat Helpful 4(21.1) 1(5.6) 5(13.5) very Helpful 6(31.6) 9(50.0) 15(40.5) Extremely Helpful 4(21.1) S(27.8) 9(24.3) Total 19(100) 18(100) 37(100) x =3.269 D.F.=4 Significance=.4584 -152- Sixty—four percent of the participants indicated that graduate school was extremely helpful or very helpful in making changes or negotiating a transition in their lives. Over 77 percent of the men indicated graduate school was very or extremely helpful in transition. Fifty two percent of the women rated graduate school as extremely or very helpful. There were no significant differences statistically between men's and women's responses. Hewever, it is interesting that over one-quarter of the women, 26.3 percent, indicated graduate school was not helpful or slightly helpful in negotiating transitions in their lives. Only 16.7 percent of the men indicated this. Those who had rated graduate school as extremely helpful or very helpful in making a Change in their lives (n=24) were asked to explain their rating. Table 4.29 summarizes the responses of participants. Some quotations from participants illustrating the categories will follow. Table 4.29 - Distribution of Participants by Explanations Why Graduate School Helpful for Making a Change or Negotiating a Transition Women n:10 Men n=14 Total n=24 (%) (%) (%) Better JOb 1(10) 5(35.7) 6(25.0) Self Esteem 4(40) 3(21.4) 7(29.6) Self Discovery 2(20) 3(21.4) 5(20.83) Career+social 2(20) 0(0) 2(8.3) New Interests 1(10) 0(0) 1(4.2) Stimulus to Act 0(0) 1(7.1) 1(4.2) Lifestyle 0(0) 2(14.3) 2(8.3) Total 10(100) 14(100) 24(100) *Only those reporting graduate school extremely or very helpful in transition are included. 453- Five men and one woman indicated graduate school was helpful in making a transition to a better job. Fifty percent of the responses fell into two personal development categories for how graduate school was helpful in "building self-esteem" and aiding in "self discovery." Below are some of the words used by participants to describe why graduate school was helpful for them. . Of those indicating graduate school provides self-esteem, one man, age 29 married with two children, wrote, "I look at myself in a different way. I think of myself differently. He continues I thought that I wasn't able to go through grad studies at MSU, but I found that here I am revealing who I am, I am doing what I never did, and I'm.feeling better of myself, my family and my job. [self esteem] One woman, age 29, indicated "Succeeding in another realm of life (outside ny'joblarea) is giving me renewed self confidence.” .A 30 year old man wrote that graduate school was helpful in negotiating transition through the "realization that I can do it and how this will help round me out." .A 28 year old woman wrote "It has given me the opportunityto prove that I can be successful." Another woman, age 29, wrote "It has given me back self-confidence." Those who indicated that graduate school enrollment was helpful for self-discovery reasons wrote of their experience in a number of -154- ways. One man, age 28, said, "Graduate school is a time for me to evaluate the past, to examine my options and to prepare for whatever happens next." Another man, age 30 and recently divorced wrote, "Alows period to i.d. specific career opportunities, serves as a constructive recovery period from divorce; personal growth and affiliation needs met." A 30—year—old man studying anthropology indicated "It is forcing me to face being dependent on someone else financially and emotionally again, to be without work and its ego gratification" [self discovery]. Another woman, age 29 and studying English, wrote, "Being enrolled in classes is helping me focus my creative and intellectual energies in a way that would be hard otherwise" [self discovery]. A man, age 31, indiCated that graduate school was helpful in giving him time to interact with others. As he wrote, "I'm getting to 'even up the odds ,' or smooth the rough edges, on my method of dealing with daily acquaintances (especially students)*" [self discovery]. The responses given to the question of how graduate school is helpful in making changes in their lives was analyzed using the four transition-status categories discussed earlier. Below is the tabulation of those results. None of the persons indicated that "not much has changed" answered this question, since they had not indicated graduate school was very helpful or "extremely helpful" in making changes. -155— Seven of the ten persons who have just gone through a transition said graduate school was very helpful or extremely helpful in making changes in their lives. Table 4.30 summarizes their reasons for saying it was helpful. Table 4.30 —— Distribution of Participants by EXplanations for Why Graduate School is Helpful in Making Changes for Those "Just Through a Major Transition" Explanation Wbmen n=3 Men n=4 Total n=7 Better JOb 1(33.3) 1(25) 2(28.57) Self Discovery 1(33.3) 3(75) 4(57.14) Career+Social 1(33.3) 0(0) 1(14.28) Total 4(100) 7(100) 3(100) Self discovery was the explanation Host often given for graduate school helpfulness for those just through a transition. Three of the four indicating this were men. Twelve of the 13 persons who indicated they are "consolidating" their lives after a recent major transition gave the following explanations for why graduate school was very helpful or extremely helpful for them. Table 4.31 —— Distribution of Participants by Explanation for Why Graduate School is Helpful in Making Changes for Those "Consolidating a Period of Major Change" Explanation Wbmen n=3 Men n=8 Total n=11 (%) (%) (%) Better Job 0(0) 4(50.0) 4(36.3) Self Esteem 2(66) 2(25.0) 4(36.3) career+Social 1(33) 0(0) 1(9.0) Stimulus to Act 0(0) 1(12-5) 1(9.1) Lifestyle 0(0) 1(12.5) 1(9-1) 'Ibtal 3(100) 8(100) 11(100) -156- A.better job and building self-esteem were given as reasons why graduate school is helpful by 66.6 percent of those consolidating a period of major change. Fifty percent of the men and no women said that graduate school was helpful fbr getting a better job. Six of the nine persons who indicated they were on the verge of a transition indicated graduate school was extremely helpful or very helpful in negotiating change in their lives. They gave the following explanations. Table 4.32 - Distribution of Participants by Explanation for Why Graduate School is Helpful in Making Changes for Those "On the verge of Change" Explanation Wbmen n=4 Men n=2 Tbtal n=6 Self Esteem 2(50) 1(50) 3(50) Self Discovery 1(25) 0(0) 1(16.6) Interest in New Area 1(25) 0(0) 1(16.6) Lifestyle 0(0) 1(50) 1(16.6) Tbtal 4(100) 2(100) 6(100) Fifty percent of those on the verge of change said graduate school was helpful for building self-esteem. Graduate school appears to be the most helpful for those consolidating a period of recent major change. Eighty-five percent of them indicated graduate school was extremely helpful or very helpful in their lives. They.most often cited getting a better job and building self—esteem as the explanation why graduate school is helpful. ~157- Seventy percent of those just through a transition indicated graduate school is extremely helpful or very helpful in negotiating change in their lives. Over half of them cited "self discovery" as the explanation for graduate school helpfulness. Over 66 percent of those on the verge of transition indicated graduate school is very helpful or extremely helpful for them. Half of these indicated graduate school helped by building self-esteem. Summary The focus of the study was to investigate the early adult development of women and men who have enrolled in graduate school at the Age Thirty Transition and their motivation for graduate school enrollment. The research questions centered on the similarities and differences which might be found between women and men in terms of their life dreams; the life activities that were and are important to them; the relative inportance of issues of career, relationships with others, and personal development; and their life structures. The research questions also centered around the reasons for enrolling in graduate school, the catalysts that may have led to graduate enrollment and the feeling of relative transition or stability in their lives. The Early Adult Development of Wbmen and Men Using Three Developmental variables A description of the early adult development of women and men was drawn from their descriptions of a life dream and important life -158« activities over three time periods (age 22, middle twenties and at the cUrrent period), and the relative importance of issues of career, relationships with others and personal development at tm time periods. 1 Life Dreams —- Participants chose to describe the nature of their life dreams in a variety of ways. The context within whidh each participant described his/her dream.was analyzed for eadh of the three time periods. At age 22, 29 of the 37 participants indicated they had a life dream. Of these, 51 percent described their dream in a career context, 34.5 percent eaCh described them in a self or multiple context and 10.3 percent reported them in a relationship context. Men described their dreams predominantly in a career context (over 78 percent) while women described their dreams predominantly in a nultiple—context (46.7 percent). A.statistically significant difference exists between men and women's dream context descriptions at age 22. Fbr the Huddle twenties, 31 of the 37 participants indicated they had a life dreann The nature of that dream was divided between multiple context descriptions (41.93 percent), career-context (38.7 percent) and self-context descriptions (19.35 percent). No significant differences between men‘s and women's dreamrcontext descriptions was found. For the current period, 35 of the 37 participants indicate they have a life dream. Of these over fifty percent describe the dream in multiple contexts. Career-context descriptions are given by 31.4 percent of the participants and 17.1 percent describe their dream in a _4.:——~—— figs—54¢: 4:21;; er—iv—a—v 4 4 a Ire-{Fig— -159- self-context. No significant differences were found between women's and men's dream-context descriptions. Important Life Activities —— Participants were asked to rate 21 life activities over three time periods using a rating scale from (5) very important to (1) not important. Those activities that showed a mean score of 4 or greater were considered important life activities. At age 22 the participants as a group rated "establishing a love relationship with another" as important. Both men and women rated this as important and men also rated "continuing my intellectual development" as important. For the middle twenties time period, the group as a whole rated "continuing my own intellectual development", "pursuing my own dream" and "increasing my skills and knowledge in my career field" as well as "becoming a valued colleague" as important. Women and men, however, listed some activities as important that were different. Women rated as important "becoming my own person", "establishing a network of close friends", "maintaining closes ties with my family of origin" and "providing an income." Men on the other hand rated "increasing career skills", "becoming a valued colleague", "finding an occupational direction", "exploring a variety of alternatives“ and "starting a career" as important life activities. Women as a group did not. At the current time, men and women share ten life activities in common as important to them. These include, "continuing my intellectual development", "making deeper commitments to work", "pursuing my own dream", "becoming a valued colleague", " increasing my -160- career skills", "finding an occupational direction", "providing an income", "exploring alternatives", "commiting myself to a philosophy of life" and "maintaining close ties with my family of origin." Hewever, women list an additional three activities as important that are not mentioned by men. These are "becoming my own person", "finding an occupational direction" and "establishing a network of supportive friends." Men rate "enhancing my relationship with my mate" and "establishing a love relationship" as important life activities while women do not as a group rate these as important life activities. Relative Importance of Issues of Career, Relationships with Others and Personal Development -- When forced to rank the order of importance of the issues of career, relationships and personal development, both men and women at the period age 22 to the decision to enrollment in graduate school rank personal development as most important. For the entire group establishing a career is ranked second followed by establishing personal relationships. Wbmen rank establishing personal relationships as second in.impcrtance while men rank career as second, although it is ahmost tied for first with personal development for men. Wbmen rank career third while men rank marriage and family as third. Marriage and family was ranked feurth by the group as a whole and by women while establishing personal relations is ranked fourth by men. EXploring options was ranked last by all participants as a group, by women and by men. At the current period, for all participants, fer women and for men, personal development was ranked first. EStablishing or enhancing -161- a career life was ranked second by the entire group, by women and by men. Marriage and family was ranked a very close third by all participants, by women and by men. The group as a whole and women ranked establishing personal relationships as fourth while men ranked exploring options as fourth. Wbmen and the entire group ranked exploring options last while men ranked establishing personal relationships last. The Early Adult Development of Wbmen and Men using Levinson's concept of the Life Structure - Levinson's concept of the life structure provided another perspective on women's and men's early adult development. 'Viewing each life story longitudinally, each participant's early adult period was identified as having one of four life structure classifications. Forty-three percent of the participants were "Life Structure Changers." Sixty-three percent of the women and 22.2 percent of the men were in this category. Almost 38 percent of the participants were "Life Structure Dbdifiers". Of these 26.3 percent of the women and 50 percent of the men were in this classification. "Life Structure Stabilizers" comprised 13.4 percent of all participants or 5.26 percent of the women and 22.2 percent of the men. TWO persons, one woman and one man, were seen as "Constant Changers," persons who had yet to build a life structure in their early adult lives. graduate School Enrollment Reasons for Enrolling -- Seventy-two percent of the participants indicated their reasons for enrolling in graduate school at MSU was for career reasons or a specific graduate program at MSU. Twenty-two -162- percent of the men and no women indicated they enrolled because their tuition was paid. When asked why they enrolled now, as opposed to another time in their life, "age" accounted for most of the responses (35.13 percent) followed by career-related issues and the availability of money to study. Catalyst to Enroll -- Ninety-four percent of the participants indicated there was a catalyst event that led to their graduate enrollment. Job disatisfaction, job advancement, tuition being paid, a relationship change and encouragement from others were the predominant descriptions of the catalyst. TWenty-seven percent of the men and no women indicated the catalyst was that tuition was paid. Otherwise there were no noticeable differences between men's and women's catalysts. Transition or Stability - Sixty percent of all participants indicated they were in a period of transition or some transition in their lives now. These were evenly divided between women and men. Over 86 percent of the participants indicated they had been recently through or were on the verge of a transition in their lives. When asked to further define the situation at this point in their lives, the largest proportion of men indicated that "I feel I'm consolidating a.major period of recent personal and/or professional change." The largest proportion of women indicated "I feel I'm on the verge of making a lot of changes in my life and/or work." §§aduate Enrollment Transition Status - Those who said not much had changed recently in their lives gave career, program or "tuition paid" reasons for enrolling in graduate school. —163— Seventy percent of those just through a transition indicated they enrolled for career reasons. Forty~six percent of those consolidating a.period of major change enrolled for reasons of the programs offered at MSU and career reasons were given by 30.7 percent of this group. Fbr those on the verge of transition 44.4 percent enrolled in graduate school fer personal or academic development reasons. One third gave career reasons while 22 percent indicated reasons of the prOgrams offered at MSU.] Graduate School Helpfulness in Making Change in Lives —— Sixty-four percent of the participants indicated that graduate school was very helpful or extremely helpful in making changes in their lives. Of those who indicated graduate school was very helpful or extremely helpful, 50 percent gave explanations related to building self—esteem or enhancing self-discovery. TWentybfive percent indicated graduate school was helpful by preparing them for a better job. Of those, five were men and one was a woman. The transition status of the participant may have an influence on how helpful graduate school is perceived. Of those who said graduate school was very helpful or extremely helpful in making changes, none were from the group who said not much had changed in their lives. Ninety-two percent of those consolidating a period of recent transition say graduate school is very helpful or extremely helpful. They cite getting a better job and building self-esteem as explanations of why it is so helpful. -164— Eightyefive percent of those just through a transition indicated graduate school was helpful or extremely helpful, primarily fer "self discovery" reasons. Over 66 percent of those on the verge of transition indicated graduate school was very helpful or extremely helpful for making changes in their lives. Half of them indicated graduate school helped build self-esteem. CHAPTER V: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY Introduction The purpose of the study was to describe, analyze and compare the early adult development (ages 22—32) of women and men who have enrolled in graduate school during the Age Thirty Transition and investigate their motivation for enrollment. The adult development of women and men.was investigated using three developmental variables: the life dream, important life activities and the relative importance of career, relationships with others and personal development. Subjects responded retrospectively to questions regarding these variables for two time periods during the twenties (age 22 and middle twenties). Participants also responded to questions regarding these variables fer the current period -- the Age Thirty Transition, ages 28-32. The early adult development of women and men was also investigated using Daniel Levinson's concept of the life structure. The participants' written autobiographies were used as data. Each autobiography was categorized by life structure classifications and similarities and differences were noted among all participants and between women and men. The motivation for graduate enrollment was investigated using a number of open-ended questions. Responses were categorized and analyzed for differences and similarities. Linkages were made between the transition status of each participant and his or her -165-- -166- stated reason fcr returning to graduate school and the perceived effect graduate school enrollment had in helping navigate changes in his/her life. In this chapter, the results of the study are discussed and compared with other research findings, conclusions and implications are drawn and suggestions for further research offered. Findings and Discussion of Results This section reviews the findings of the study based on the research questions. The findings are summarized for each of the three developmental variables, for the life structure and fer motivation for graduate enrollment. A discussion section follows the findings in each of the research question areas. The Life Dream Levinson had identified the fbrmation of a life dream as a central developmental task of early adulthood. The context in which the dream was described was often expressed in a career context by Levinson's men. Stewart's study of women (1977) in the early adult period enlarged the concept of life dream to include a "relational dream" for women. Although both Levinson and Stewart describe the life dream as an important component of adult development, neither has reviewed the evolution of the dream during any successive periods of adult development. This study has added to the notion of the life dream by studying it over three time periods in early adulthood. Both men and women in the study indicated they had formed a life dream during at least one period in their early adulthood. TWenty-nine of the participants had life dreams at age 22; 31 had life —167— dreams in the middle twenties; and 35 of the 37 had a current dream. A difference in women's and men's dreams was found at age 22 with men giving dreams in a career—context (78 percent) while more women gave descriptions that were in a multiple context (46 per— cent). No other 1 major differences were found between women's and men's dream context descriptions during the middle twenties or current life period. The contexts within which women and men described their dreams were not greatly different. This suggests less differences in men's and women's dreams than was evident in Levinson's or Stewart's studies of the life dreams of men and women respectively. Another important finding regarding the life dreams of men and women during the early adult period is that 35 of the 37 participants either changed their age 22 dream or formed a dream later if they formed none at age 22 at the same average age —- age 26. This finding suggests that for the participants studied, an important self—assessment occured at age 26, earlier than Levinson's proposed age period of 28—32 for the Age Thirty Transition as a time of reassessment. This finding may be reflective of the rate of change in our society, making revision or reformulation of a life dream more frequently necessary. It may also be a factor associated with the way in which young adults view their adult life course. Shanan and Kedar (1980) found in a study of 80 16—78 year old Israelis that younger subjects perceived the life span as more differentiated, divided into more periods, whereas older subjects perceived it as less differenti— ated (Shanan and Kedar 1980:356). Levinson's subjects were -168- viewing their lives retrospectively from the vantage point of age 35-45. The current group viewed their lives retrospectively from the vantage point of ages 28—32. However, the change in a life dream, as a torch for lighting the way toward a future life structure, may precede the actual change of the life structure by months or years. The very preliminary findings of this study indicate that a dream.change at age 26 sets up changes in the life structure a year or two later. Important Life Activities Earlier research on women's and men's adult development indicated that women and.men may deal with different developmental tasks during the early adult period. The differences in tasks were often related to the choices made in the areas of career or family. Participants in the study were asked to rate 21 life activities drawn from the_ literature on the develOpmental tasks of early adulthood to investigate the similarities and differences in women's and men's life activities. Both women and men reported that at age 22 establishing a love relationship with another was the most important life activity for - them. This supports the literature's contention that issues of intimacy are important in the early adult period (Erikson 1952; Havigurst 1957, 1981; Gould 1972; Sheehy 1976; Levinson, 1978.) No other life activities were identified as "important" or "very important" by the group as a whole at age 22. By the middle twenties, women and men rated more activities as important or very important than they did at age 22. Issues related —169- to career —-- increasing skills and knowledge in career field as well as becoming a valued collegue “'7 were rated as important or very important for the group as a whole. Issues related. to personal development --- continuing intellectual development and pursuing the dream -- were important to women and men alike in this period. However, women and men each rated additional life activities as important or very important that the other sex did not. Women rated as important to them at the middle twenties "becoming my own person," "establishing a network of close friends," and "main— taining close ties with my family of origin." Women also rated providing an income as important at this life period. Men rated certain career-related issues as important or very important that women as a group did not: increasing career skills, becoming a valued colleague, finding an occupational direction, starting a career and exploring a variety of career options. Personal identity, friends and family became increasingly important for women in their middle twenties while career issues became increasingly important for men. At the current period women and men share ten of thirteen activities rated as important by the group as a whole. The number of ' life activities rated as important increase over time. This finding suggests that women and men in the study value and participate in more activities as they age, indicating the development of amore balanced and varied lifestyle pattern. The "individuation" process, the psychic balancing and growth process that occurs during adulthood, may occur begin earlier than the midlife period Jung had originally posited . —170- Men and women rate making deeper commitments to their work, becoming a valued colleague, increasing career skills, providing an income and finding an occupational direction as important at the current period. All but the last activity supports Levinson's and Havighurst's descriptions of the developmental tasks of the late twenties. Many of the participants have made choices and are developing deeper commitments through consolidation in those areas during their current life period. In the personal development category, women and men both rate continuing their intellectual development, pursuing their own dream and commiting themselves to a philosophy of life as important. It seems logical that graduate students would rate their intellectual development as important. This particular group strongly agrees that pursuing their own dream is important, supporting Levinson's contention that pursuing the dream is an important developmental task of early adulthood. HOwever, "commiting myself to a philosophy of life," a developmental task often associated with late adolescence (Perry 1970; Kohlberg 1969; Chickering 1981), is an increasingly important issue for the participants during the Age Thirty Transition. This finding suggests that after a period of search and experience, participants feel it important to commit themselves to a philosophy of life, a way by which to lead their lives. At the current time women and men list additional life activities that the other sex did not mention as "important." Wbmen rate "becoming my own person" and "establishing a network of supportive -171- friends" again as important, as they did as a group in the middle twenties. The life activity "becoming my own person“ taps the separation and identity issues of early adult development. Although the phrase '3 itself comes from Levinson's work on men, describing the developmental task of separating from the mentor in the late thirties, the phrase seems to take on a different meaning for the particpant group in this study. Identity formation in late adolescence was a crucial developmental task identified by Erikson. In separating from the family of origin, a young man in Erikson's sobeme forms his own identity, he "becomes his own person." Since many women move from a dependent relationship on parents to a dependent relationship on spouse/lover in early adulthood (Douvan and Adelson 1966; Bernard 1975; Iowenthal 1975; Angrist 1975; Gilligan 1977), the formation of an identity occurs often ten years later for women than it does for men (Sales 1978; Gilligan 1977, 1979, 1981). The increasing importance of "becoming my own person" in the middle twenties and into the Age Thirty Transition for women indicates that they might fellow a different developmental agenda than Erikson posited based on a male sample. "Becoming my own person" appears linked with another life activity that was rated as important by women but not by men in the middle twenties and the current period: "establishing a network of supportive friends." Perhaps as women begin to formulate concepts of themselves apart from their relationships with spouses or lovers or -172- bosses, they often form supportive relationships with others, primarily women, to support this individual quest. Mezirow's (1978) comments about women‘s re—entry groups stressed the importance for women returning to school of identification of individual goals within a supportive atmosphere with other women seekers for women returning to school. This identity-search aided by a network of supportive friends seems to be an issue men do not share in the middle and late twenties. The lack of men in this study citing "establishing a network of supportive friends" as important echoes Levinson's findings of the men in his study. He writes that "In our interviews, friendship was largely noticeable by its absence. As a tentative generalization, we would say that close friendships with a man or woman in rarely experienced by American men" (Levinson 1978:335). Levinson suggests that "we need to understand why friendship is so rare, and what consequences this deprivation has for adult life." Men during the Age Thirty Transition report two life activities as important or very important that women do not rate as important or very important. "Enhancing my relationship with my mate" and "establishing a love relationship with another" are important to them during the Age Thirty Transition. The inclusion of the relationship domain into men's important life activities represents a change from the middle twenties. Women do not cite relationships with spouses or lovers as important at either the middle twenties period or during the Age Thirty Transition. Earlier studies of women's lives indicated that -173- interpersonal love relationships with a mate were very important for 1 women in the early adult period, although issues of personal identity began to surface at around age 30 (Sheehy 1976; Stewart 1977; Sales 1978). Eor the women in this study, intimacy issues with mates were noticeably missing as issues of identity-formation and non-marital friendship relationships were increasing. It appears that during a time when identity is being built, women are not as highly concerned about interpersonal dyadic love relationships with men, perhaps because of "boundary" issues. At present this is only a supposition. Relative Importance of Career, Relationship with Others and Personal Development The literature on gender differences in early adulthood indicated there were differences between men's and women's life activities, with women pursuing more affiliative roles and activities whilezmen pursued more agentic roles. A shift from affiliative to personal development issues occured for many women studied at age 30 (Sheehy 1976; Stewart 1977; Sales 1978). Participants were asked to rank order the importance of the categories of career, relationships with others, and personal development in order to investigate any differences between women's and menis ranking and detect any shift that may occur during the Age Thirty Transition for those rankings. The study showed that fer women and men, the issues of personal development was first in importance both at the Age 22 period and during the current Age Thirty Transition. Therefore, no differences were found between women and men and no shift in this first priority item occured. -174- However, at age 22, women ranked establishing a close interpersonal love relationship as second in importance while men ranked career as second in relative importance. This difference is a dim reflection of earlier sex differences in affiliation and agency-related domains but does not reflect as strong a difference as was expected. At the current period, marriage and career rank equally as second in importance for both women and men. The relative equal rank given to marriage and family and career by all participants suggests that all domains of adult life have equal importance to the men and women in this study. This finding may be due to the increase in life experience over time causing participants to see themselves in a variety of expanding contexts. It also may reflect a change from a more sex-role dominated early adult/late adolescent perspective to a more "androgynous" perspective for men and women in their later twenties and early thirties. This may in part be due to the influence of cultural changes during the early 19705 when many in this group were in early adulthood (Sheehy 1979). The importance of personal development for women throughout their. twenties and at the current period reflects Phillips' 1977 study of female doctoral students ages 25-33. She found that women doctoral students possess a non—traditional sex role orientation which included being oriented internally fer validation and placing a higher priority on self-actualization than on affiliative needs. Galler's 1977 study found that none of the graduate student women in her study saw themselves as more family than self-oriented. -175— The finding that personal development is most important to women and men.throughout their early adult period suggests that for this group of young adult graduate students, personal development is perceived as more influential than career or personal relationships. Popular writers have dubbed the Baby Boom generation as the "Me generation." Perhaps it is more accurate to say that issues of love and work are not the only issues of importance to women and men in early adulthood. Ievinson's Concept of the Life Structure Levinson's concept of the life structure provided another perspective on women's and men's early adult development. While no striking gender differences were found using the developmental variables of life dream, activities and relative importance of career, relationships and personal development, there did appear a striking difference in women's and men's lives when using the concept of the life structure for analysis. The autobiographies of participants were read to investigate the entire period of the twenties in terms of the life structure. Hour life structure patterns were identified and persons accordingly classified as Life Structure Changers, Life Structure Modifiers, Life Structure Stabilizers and Constant Changers. Although 81 percent of the participants in the study did change their life structures markedly or slightly during the early adult period, women more than men altered their life structure significantly (64 percent of the women compared to 22 percent of the men). Men more than women modified their life structure (50 percent of the men and 26.3 percent -176- of the women). Men more than women were Life Structure Stabilizers (22 percent compared to 5 percent). TWO persons, one woman and one man, were Constant Changers. women's lives seemed to undergo a much more radical shift during the early adult period. Those who formed a relationship early in their twenties and ended the relationship tended to look at their new lives as a "rebirth" of individual potential. Those who had been career or self—directed during their twenties, when married later, shifted toward a life pattern that placed their spouse or children at the center of the structure. This finding suggests that combining both marriage and career is still a problematic issue in women's early adult development. Marriage or career seem to be addressed sequentially, not concurrently, during the early adult period for women Life Structure Changers in the study. For men, it appears to be a different story. Over fifty percent of the men are Life Structure Modifiers. They formed an early adult life structure and changed parts of it, either in their career or relationships, but they maintained a constant in one or the other areas. A man changing careers still had his wife or lover; a man newly married kept his same occupation. A man newly a father kept his same occupation. Roles were added to the life structure, not completely disregarded or neglected as shown in many of the women's lives. At some fundamental level this appears to indicate that.women's adult development patterns may still be perceived as being "either/or" during early adulthood. Changes in the central life component seemed -177- to c0mpletely change the focus in their lives and brought about a life structure change. Men, socialized to take on both roles of spouse and worker, did not perceive such a major shift in their life structure when they took on other concurrent roles. More men than women were life structure stabilizers. It might be that the changing social roles for women has made it less likely that they would maintain a constant life structure. Sheehy and Levinson found in their studies that a small percentage were "transients," those who had not formed a stable life structure by their early thirties. Their findings are reflected in the current study's "Constant Changers." Motivation for Graduate Enrollment The relationship between adult development and adult participation in higher education is a growing area of interest among adult educators. This study investigated linkages between motivation for enrollment in graduate school by participants during the Age Thirty Transition and adult development concepts. Through a series of open—ended questions, the motivation for enrollment was investigated. The linkages between the “transition status" of a participant and his/her reasons for enrolling were investigated as well as the perceived benefits of graduate enrollment to help negotiate change in a participant's life. Seventy—two percent of the participants indicated their reasons for enrolling in graduate school at MSU were career—related or linked to a specific graduate program offered at MSU. The finding that career reasons were important for enrolling in graduate school -178- supports Pelowski's (1981) findings. Aslanian and Brikell's study of adults' return to education indicated that women and men return because of transitions in their lives and men more than women say the transition was in the area of career, women in the area of relationship. 'No sudh stark gender difference was found in this study. The sense of timing -- "it's now or never" —-typified participants' responses to the question of why they enrolled in graduate school now. This supports weathersby's findings that age and the sense of a "social clock" precipitated many adults to return to education. Other responses given by the participants in this study indicated career-related issues or the availability of money to study made it important to enroll now. No significant differences between men and women were found. Thirty-five of the 37 participants indicated there was a catalyst event that led to their graduate enrollment. This supports Aslanian and Brikell's (1980) assertion that adults continue their education because of specific trigger events. In their study these triggers are either related to career or relationship changes. For the participants in this study, five categories of catalysts were found: job dissatisfaction, job advancement, tuition being paid, a relationship changed, or one was encouraged by others to enroll. TWenty—seven percent of the men and no women indicated "tuition paid" as a catalyst to attend. Wflth this exception, no significant differences between.men.and women on catalyst events were found. This -179— finding is different from Pelowski's findings that for women.more than men, the catalyst to enroll was a relationship change in their lives. Sixty percent of all participants indicated they were in a period of transition or some transition in their lives now. Men and women were equally distributed in their responses. Weahtersby found that 86.7 percent of those in the age Thirty Transition were in a period of transition. Over 80 percent of the respondents in Aslanian and Brikell's study indicated they were in a period of transition when they pursued some form of continuing education. The lesser degree of transition in the current study reflects the different populations studied. Weathersby's group were adults returning to a non-traditional undergraduate degree program; Aslanian and Brikell's adult learners were engaged in a variety of learning activities, not necessarily formal educational degree programs. Perhaps the more "non-traditional" the educational option, the more likely the C participants are people who see themselves in transition. In order to further investigate the "transition status" of each of the participants, a question was asked to define the status of stability or transition in their lives. The categories of transition status were taken from Weathersby's study. They included the following options for participants to mark: Not much has changed fer men in the last several years I'm in a stable situation with respect to my life and work ~180— I've just come through a huge transition period in my life and work I feel I'm consolidating a major period of personal and/or professional change I feel I'm on the verge of making a lot of changes in my life and/or work Thirty-five percent of the participants indicated that they were "consolidating change," while 27 percent said they had just been through a transition. TWenty-four percent of the participants indicated they were on the verge of change and 13.5 percent said that not much had changed for them in the last several years. More men than women were consolidating change; more women than men were on the verge of a transition. Equal numbers had "just been through a transition" and two women and 3 men reported that not much had changed for them in the last several years. In Weathersby's study for those in the Age Thirty Transition, 31 percent indicated they were on the verge of change, 26 percent "just through a transition" and 19 percent consolidating change. ane of the subjects in her study who were in the Age Thirty Transition reported that not much had changed. Therefore, in her study, 45 percent of the participants had experienced a transition in the recent past compared to 62 percent in this study. Perhaps those who enrolledin the Goddard Program were more likely to be ready to make changes in their lives and chose a non-traditional bachelor's degree program as a way to negotiate the change. The participants in graduate education however, return to school after a major transition has occured. -181— To further investigate the relationship between "transition status" and enrollment, the enrollment reasons given by persons in eaCh of the transition status categories were analyzed. Those who had not experienced much change in recent years enrolled for career—related reasons, the program at MSU or because their tuition was paid. The majority of those just through a transition enrolled for career reasons. Almost half of those consolidating a period of change enrolled because of a specific program at MSU while another 30.7 percent of this group enrolled for career reasons. For those on the verge of transition, 44 percent enrolled for personal or academic development reasons while the remaining gave career reasons and the programs offered at MSU. It appears that for those recently thorugh a Change, the motivation for enrollment is different from those on the verge of change. Graduate enrollment is linked to career reasons or a specific degree program at MSU to complete the change begun before graduate enrollment. For those on the verge of a transition, academic and personal development was the motivation for enrollment, perhaps in preparation for the upcoming change. Participants were also asked to indicate whether graduate school was helpful in making changes in their lives. Over 64 percent indicated that it was. Of these, 77.8 percent of the men indicated graduate school was very helpful or extremely helpful in making changes. More than 52 percent of the women gave this response. -182— In order to find the exact nature of the perceived benefits from graduate enrollment, participants were asked to explain how graduate school is helpful. TWenty-five percent of the group indicated graduate school was helpful in getting a better job; of these, 35.7 percent of the men.and 10 percent of the women gave this response. Over twenty-nine percent indicated graduate school helped by building self-esteem. This represented 40 percent of the women and 21 percent of the men. Almost 21 percent of the group gave reasons related to “self—discovery" for graduate school's benefit, with men and women equally represented. The remainder gave reasons associated with career and social life as well as intellectual stimulation and the graduate school lifestyle as benefits of graduate school. The transition status of the participant may have an influence on how helpful graduate school is perceived. Of those who said graduate school was very helpful or extremely helpful, none were from the group that indicated not much had changed in their lives. Eighty-five percent of those consolidating a period of recent transition said graduate school is extremely helpful or very helpful in making a change. They cite getting a better job and building self-esteem as explanations why it is so helpful. Seventy percent of those just through a transition indicated graduate school was helpful or extremely helpful, primarily for "self discovery" reasons. Over 66 percent of those on the verge of transition indicated graduate school was helpful for making change in their lives. Half of them indicated graduate school helped build self-esteem. ~183— Pelcwski has written that for most of the participants in her study, the diange in work and relationships had already occured and graduate school has been chosen as a means for effecting the change. She found that other graduate students in her study saw graduate school as a place and a process through which they expected to discover new life styles or unexplored aspects of themselves. This study supports Pelowski's findings. For most of the participants, a change has already occured in their lives and graduate enrollment was perceived as a way for effecting the change. For those who are on the verge of change, graduate school is a place where they can develop personal and academic capacities while they are building self-esteem. Conclusions Having presented a summary and discussion of the findings, Chapter V continues with conclusions drawn from the study. 1. Women and men are more similar than different during early adulthood in terms of their life dreams and in their rankings of the relative importance of career, relationships with others and personal development. The one exception is that at age of 22 significantly more men than women describe their life dreams in a career context. 2. Women and men both rate certain life activities as important throughout early adulthood. These similar developmental tasks are related to career issues as well as to issues of continuing their intellectual development and pursuing their own dream. —184- 3. Wbmen and men, however, rate different life activities as important during the middle twenties and during the Age Thirty Transition that the other sex did not rate as important. .A differential pattern in women's and men's lives during early intimacy are suggested by the findings. Men and women both rate establishing a love relationship as important at age 22. Thereafter women seem more concerned with issues of becoming their own person while men, after a period of career-focus, become more concerned again with intimacy issues during the Age Thirty Transition. More women than men are life structure changers; more men than women are life structure modifiers and life structure stabilizers. ‘Women appear to perceive their roles as spouse/ lover or independent woman/worker as significantly separate that Change in one role led to a radical reordering of the life structure around the new role. Men added roles to their life structure without radically changing their earlier life structure. ‘Women and men do not differ significantly in their reasons for enrolling in graduate school. However, only men indicated their enrollment was due to their employer's financial support. Women and men alike enroll in graduate school at this time in their lives for reasons related to their age. -185— 7. Wbmen and men enroll in graduate school because of a specific trigger event. Catalysts for enrolling related to job advancement, job disatisfaction, a change in a relationship or encouragement from others. Only men indicated that an employer's offer to pay tuition stimulated enrollment. 8. The majority of participants have just been through a major transition in their lives, and graduate enrollment was seen as a way to consolidate those changes either by increasing the likelihood of a better job, enhancing self-discovery or building self-esteem. Those on the verge of a change saw graduate enrollment as a way to develop personal or academic capabilities and to build self-esteem. 9. Men more than women perceive graduate school as helpful in negotiating changes in their lives, primarily for reasons of attaining a better job or enhancing self-discovery. IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The sex role stereotyping of women and men so apparent in the generation studied by Levinson (1978; men) and Rubin (1980; women) seems to be subsiding considerably for the current generation of young adults ages 28 to 32 studied in this project. The life dreams of both women and men contain multiple contexts or ways of envisioning one's self in the future. Personal development is a key and persistent goal for these persons while career and relationships also play an important, although secondary, role in their lives. The group of graduate student women and men in this study may be "trend setters," those who are in position of high visibility and set ~186- trends because they are viewed as leaders. As the present and future policy makers in the society, these persons, because they are more androgynous and share traits often solely the province of one sex, may significantly affect the values and objectives of the society. The large majority of the women and men in the study are not parents. The delay of parenting may be a reflection of the sociological factors which affected the participants' early adult lives, primarily the women's movement and the accessibility of birth control. Although the issue of parenting is becoming increasingly important during the Age Thirty Transition, especially for men in the study, the fact that well-educated women are either delaying or limiting the number of children they have has direct implications for public policy in the next century. Thirty seven million members of the Baby Boom generation will be in retirement in the next century and if the trend continues of fewer children born to this group, there will be fewer younger people to support more older people. Since well-educated couples especially are having few if any children, the wages earned by the next generation may not be adequate to keep the social security system operative as it is presently designed. The findings of this study confirm the demographic trend of delayed childbearing that may bring about a change in retirement and social policies as we know them now. The study indicated that women are concerned about issues of "becoming their own person" during the Age Thirty Transition while men are concerned with deepening their relationships with their spouses or -187- establishing a love relationship with a significant other. The "love gap" that Gould discussed as a problem in mid-life for women and men may be present also at the Age Thirty Transition. Since the majority of divorces in the country occur when persons are in this age period, women and men need to be aware of the possible differential developmental priorities of their spouse during this time in the lifecycle» Hfith.this knowledge they may be less likely to end a relationship because of these different priorities. Men, by not mentioning friendship as an important issue for them during the twenties or the Age Thirty Transition, do not perceive friendship as an important component of an interpersonal, intimacy structure in thier lives. By depending solely on a mate for meeting intimacy needs,:men may be more "at risk" emotionally when an interpersonal schism in a relationship with their mate occurs.~ Wbmen, on the other hand, have a broader,:more hetergeneous interpersonal support system than men. During times of crisis or stress, women may utilize their friendships for support as well as for meeting other intimacy needs. The life structure changes described by the participants in this ' study support.levinson's contention that the life cycle contains periods of structure building and structure revision. However, the degree to which women.and men change or alter their life structures differed significantly. The women in this study tended to pursue life roles in a sequential manner and when there was a change in the life role, the life structure was radically reorganized around the new role. This either/or approach to handling roles of relationship/ -188- family or career supports Bernar's notion that combining roles in early adulthood is a problemmatic issue for women. Socialized early to be helpmates and support persons and coming of age during a time when individual achievement was perceived as the new "feminist ethic" , women may perceive that they must choose one role or the other. Until social changes filter down to child-rearing and early childhood education, girls and women may perceive that they must "choose one or the other." Those women who do combine roles often are subject to role overload or fatigue, for they feel they must do it all -- be career persons, loving and supportive wives, and perfect mothers. By sharing the burden of "women‘s work" of nurturance, childrearing and household tasks, men may help bring about a change in the either/or dilemma that women experience during early adulthood. The men in this study perceived graduate school as more helpful in making changes in their lives or work than women. Since men see a direct link between their enrollment and the payoff of that enrollment, their optimisim may have an effect on how well they perform in their studies. Women experience less optimism as graduate students and therefore may not perform as well as men. However, if women graduate students do not perceive graduate enrollment as helpful in making changes in their lives, it may be because they do not see it as the sole influence on change in their lives. Other factors, perhaps their jobs, family, relationships or other involvements have impact on change as well. ~189- Those who do perceive graduate shcool as helpful in making changes in their lives indicate that school is aplace where they can gain training to advance in a career as well as a place where they can build self-esteem and enhance self-discovery. Tbo often graduate departments do not see students as "whole" persons but rather only as persons interested in an academic discipline. The non-academic concerns and goals of students should become more a focus for graduate ' departments, not only for reasons of retention but also for purposes of supporting the development of well-rounded professionals. This study offers support to Levinson's notion that at ages 28—32 there is a transitional period that bridges the stable life structure built in the twenties and the upcoming structure of the thirties. Many of the students in this study had recently gone through a transitional experience and returned to graduate school as a means to consolidate that change, paving the way to a new life structure in their thirties. The implication of this finding is that adult students returning to higher education have not only career or professional goals but also personal and developmental concerns when they return to study. That education is viewed as an appropriate arena to test ideas and build self—esteem suggest that higher education may provide an even more valuable function than training tomorrow's leaders. Higher education may also be the handmaiden to the further development of adults by giving men permission to question, to explore and to grow. -190... Suggestions for Further ResearCh Further research on adult development needs to be conducted on the developmental variable of the Life Dream. What are the effects of the life dream on the life structure over time? Indications from this study are that change in a life dream precedes a change in the life structure. The exact nature of this relationship needs to be investigated further. Additional research needs to be conducted on the issues of intimacy and identity for women and men over the early adult life period. This study suggests that women may deal with issues of identity formation in the middle twenties and during the Age Thirty Transition while men consider issues of intimacy during the Age Thirty Transition. Studies on friendships in men's and women's lives over the life span need to be conducted. This study as well as Levinson's study indicate that friendship as an important component of the life structure is lacking in menfs lives. Further researCh using the methods established in this study might be conducted on other graduate and undergraduate adult student populations. Special care should be taken to include students who are parents. Does parental status significantly affect the early adult development of women and men graduate students and affect their likelihood to enroll in graduate degree programs? Further research should be conducted on the degree and kind of financial support women and men graduate students receive to attend —191- graduate school. Indications from this study suggest that more men than women receive financial support from their employers to continue their graduate education. Finally, further adult development research needs to be conducted using the biographical method as well as a method that measures adult developmental variables longitudinally. Only a blending of these methods can begin to build a body of significant research literature that adds to an holistic understanding of the seasons of adult life. BIBLICXSRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY Angrist, 5.8. and E. Almquist. 1975 Careers and Contingencies: How College Wbmen Juggle with ‘with Gender. New'York: Dunellen. Astin, H. S. 1978 Continuing Education and the Development of Adult Wbmen. In N. K. Schlossberg and A. D. Entine (Eds.), Counseling Adults. Monterey, CA: Brooks Cole Publishing. Bakan, D. 1966 The Duality of Human Existence. Chicago: Rand MCNally and Company. Bengston, v; L. and N. E. Culter. 1976 "Generations and Intergenerational Relations: Perspectives on Age Groups and Social Change. In R. H. Binstolk and E. Shanas, (eds.), Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences. New YOrk: van NOstrant Reinhold. Bernard, Jessie 1975 Women, Wives, Mothers: Values and Options. Chicago: Addine. ~ 1981 "women's Educational Needs." In A. 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M. 1979 Wbmen Returning to School: An Analysis of Role .Accumulation, Ph.D. dissertation, Cornell University. Giele, J. Z. 1978 women and the FUture. New York: The Free Press 1980a "Adulthood as Transcendence of age and sex." In J. Smelser and Erikson (ed.), Themes of work and Love in Adulthood. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1980b "Crossovers: New Themes in Adult Roles and the Life Cycle." In D. McGuigan (ed.), women's Lives: New Theory, Research and Policy. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Center for the Continuing Education of women. Gilligan, C. 1977 "In a Different voice: women's Conceptions of Self and Morality." Harvard Educational Review 47(4). 1979 "woman's Place in Man's Life Cycle." Harvard Educational Review’49(4):431-446. 1980 "Restoring the Missing Text of women's Development to Life Cycle Theories." In D. McGuigan (ed.), women's lives: New Theory, Research and Policy. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Center for the Continuing Education of Wbmen. 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Hennig, M., and Jardim, A. 1978 The Managerial woman. New York: Pocket Books. Houle, A. 1961 The Inquiring Mind. Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press . Jung, C. J. 1933 "The Stages of Life" in Modern Man in Search of a Soul. Reprinted by Harcourt, Brace and Wbrld, Inc. Keogh, L. D. 1980 An Exploration of Factors Motivating Adult Students to Return to College. -Ph.D dissertation, University of Michigan. Knowles, M.S. 1970 The Modern Practice of Adult Education. New YOrk: Association Press. Knox, A.B. 1977 Adult Development and Learning. San Francisco: Jossey— Bass. Kohlberg, L. and R. Kramer 1969 "Continuities and Discontinuities in Childhood and Adult Moral Development." Human Development 12:93-120. Kuhlen, R. 1964 "Developmental Changes in Motivation during the Adult Years." In J. E. Birren (ed.), Relations of Development and Aging. Springfield, 111.: Charles C. Thomas. -197— Lehmann, T. 1980 Empirical Evidence from Empire State College. In V. R. McCoy, C. Ryan, R. Sutton and N. Winn (eds.), A.Life Transition Reader. Lawrence, Kansas: Division of Continuing Education, the University of Kansas. Levine, J. A. 1979 "Everyman's Blues: Harping on the Male Role Crisis." Psychology Today 13(6):147-155. Levinson, D. J. 1980a "Four Perspectives on the Adult Life Course." Yale Psychiatric Quarterly 2(7):2—14. 1980b "Transitions in the Evolution of the Life Structure." Paper presented at the Second National Conference on the Adult Life Cycle: In Celebration of Life Transitions. Overland Park, Kansas. 1980c "Toward a Conception of the Adult Life Course." In Neil J. Smelser and Erikson (eds.), Themes of Love and work in Adulthood. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1981 "Explorations in Biography: Evolution of the Individual Life Structure in Adulthood." In A. Rabin, et al (eds.), Further Explorations in Personality. New York: Wfileyelnterscience. Levinson, J., C.M. Darrow, E.B. Klein, M.H. Levinson, and B. McKee. 1976 "Periods in the Adult Development of Men: Ages 18 to 45." The Counseling Psychologist 6(1)21—15. 1978 The Seasons of a Man's Life. New York: Ballantine Books. Levy, R. 1977 "Notes on Being Adult in Different Places." Paper presented at the Social Science Research Council conference on Cultural Phenomonology of Adulthood and Aging, Harvard University, October, 1977. Loevinger, J. and R. Wessler. 1970 Measuring Ego Development. 1st ed. San Francisco: JosseyeBass. Lowenthal, M.F., M. Thurnher, and D. Chiribogen. 1975 Four Stages of Life. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Publishers. Maas, H.S. 1979 "Seasons of a Man's Life: Book Review." Psychiatry 42 (May 1979): 188-191. -198— ' Magill, C. and K. Cirksena. 1978 Problems and Information Needs of Wbmen Reentering Higher Education. Palo Alto California: Stanford University Center of Research on Wbmen. Maslow, H. 1962 Toward a Psychology of Being. Princeton, N.J.: D. van NOstrand Company. McCoy,‘V., C. Ryan, R. Sutton, and N. Winn. 1980 A Life Transitions Reader. Lawrence: University of Kansas. McGuigan, D., ed. 1 1980 women's Lives: New Theory, Research and Policy. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Center for the Continuing Education of women. MM&m,W&I 1977 Shmilarities and Differences Between Male and Female Doctoral Candidates in Regard to Biographical Data, Dimorphical Data and Motivation for Entering the Doctoral Program. Ed.D. dissertation, Oklahoma University. Mezirow, J. 1978 "Perspective Transformation." Adult Education._ 28(2,1978): 100-110. Mezirow, J. and v. Marsick. 1978 Education for Perspective Transformation: women's Reentry Programs in Community Colleges. New York: Columbia University. Morstain, B.R., and J.C. Smart. 1977 A.Motivational Typology of Adult Learners. JOurnal of. Higher Education, 48(6):665—679. ' ' Neugarten, B.L. 1968 Middle age and Aging. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 1979 Time, Age and the Life cycle. The American Journal of Psychology, 1979 (136): 887-893. Nichols, J. 1975 Men's Liberation: A New Definition of Masculinity. New YOrk: Penguin Books. Pearlin, L.I. 1980 "Life Strains and Psychological Distress Among Adults." In N.J. Smelser and E.H. Erickson (eds.), Themes of Wbrk and Love in Adulthood. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ~199- Pelowski, B.G. 1981 Decision-Making at.Nfidlife: Graduate School as an Alternative for Effecting Change in the Lives of Men and Wbmen, Ages 35 and Older. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University. Perry, W.G., Jr. 1970 Intellectual and Ethical Development in the College Years. New YOrk: Holt, Rinehard and Winston, Inc. Rossi,.A.S. 1980 Life-span Theories and WOmen's Lives. Signs 6(1): 4-32. Rubin, L.B. 1976 Wbrlds of Pain: Life in the Wbrking Class Family. New YOrk: Basic Books. 1979 Wbmen.of a Certain Age: The Mid-life Search for Self. New'YOrk: Harper and Row. Rubin, Z. 1981 "Does Personality Really Change After 20?" Psychology Today, May, 1981: 18-20, 23—27. Sales, E. 1978 "Wbmen's Adult Development." In I.H. Frieze, J.E. Parsons, P.B.Johnson, D.N. Ruble and G.L. Zellman (eds.), Women and Sex Roles: A Social Psychological Perspective. New York: W.W. Norton. Sexton, IHG. 1979 Between TWO Wbrlds: YOung Wbmen in Crisis. New York: WHIliam.Morrow. Shannon, J. and H.S. Kedar 1980 "Phenomenological Structuring of the Adult Lifespan as a Function of Age and Sex." International Journal of Aging and Human Development 10(4):343—357. Sheehy, G. 1976 Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life. New YOrk: E.P. Dutton and Company, Inc. 1979 "What Young Men Seek." Detroit Free Press, NOvember 4,5,6. 1981 Pathfinders. New YOrk: William.Morrow. Smelser, N.J. 1980 "Issues in the Study of Wbrk and Love in Adulthood." In N.J. Smelser and E. Erikson (eds.), Themes of Love and Wbrk in Adulthood. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. -200- Smydra, M. and E. Kochenour. 1978 A Summary of a Study of Adult Students at Jefferson Community College. Louisville, Kentucky: Jefferson Community College. Stehr, M.A. 1982 "Superwoman, the Little Wcman and Me." Presentation at Current Issues in women's Lives lecture series, Michigan State University, January, 1982. Stewart ' WOA. 1977.A Psychological Study of the Formation of the Early Adult Life Structure in Wbmen. Ph.D. dissertation, Columbia University. TOlson, A. 1977 The Limits of Masculinity: Male Identity and the Liberated WOman. New YOrk: Harper and Row. vaillant, G.E. 1977 Adaptation to Life. Boston: Little, Brown and Co. Weathersby, R. 1976 A Synthesis of Research and Theory on Adult Development: Its Implications for Adult Learning and Postsecondary Education. Special qualifying paper for Harvard University, Graduate School of Education. 1977 A.Developmental Perspective on Adult Uses of FOrmal Education. Ph.D. dissertation, Harvard University. weingarten, K. and P. Daniels. 1978 "Family/Career Transitions in Wbmen's Lives: Report on Research in Progress." Paper presented at the American Psychological Association Symposium on Transitional Experience in Adult Development. TOronto, Canada, August, 1978. Willis, C.D. 1977 Factors Influencing Female Adult Students to Continue Their Education. Ph.D dissertation, Iowa State university. APPENDIX 1 PILOT QUESTIONNAIRE EARLY ADULT DEVELOPMENT QUESTIONNAIRE This questionnaire is part of a study I am conducting for my dissertation research in the College of Education on the early adult development of graduate student men and women at Michigan State University. It is divided into four sections. I will read the directions for each section and then ask you to complete those questions. When you are through, please wait until we will all begin the next section together. Please indicate at what time you began the questionnaire: WRITE IN (a.m., p.m.) NAME QUESTIONNAIRE.NUMBER DATE COMPLETED ****************************** §§QTION I The following questions in Section I deal with your early adult life from age 22 to the time you decided to enroll in graduate School at Michigan State University. Please turn to the next page. -201- -202— Twenties' Timeline Jot down for yourself a timeline of your twenties from age 22 to the time you decided to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U. You may wish to recall your employment history, geograpic moves, education, relationship history as well as any significant events during that period. Year You Turned 22 ‘Month and year you decided to enroll at MSU Allow yourself about five minutes to reconstruct your twenties timeline using the years you listed above as your markers. When you are through, please mark down the time and wait until we are ready to begin in the next portion of Section I. Time Begun Time Completed -203- The following questions deal with your twenties decade from age 22 to the time you decided to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U. If you have any questions about items 1-11, please raise your hand I will answer them. Be sure to indi- cate the time you began this section. Thank you. 1. 2a. 2b. Time begun As you look over your Twenties Timeline on the preceding page, what is your impression of its dominant elements or themes? Thinking about periods of your life as chapters in your autobiography, please give: a, chapter heading for the chapter you just finished (your twenties decade, from age 22 to the time you decided to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U.) Chapter Title Are there subchapters within this period? CHECK ONE: Yes No (If yes): what are they titled? Subchapters (if applicable) Was there :1 person(s) within your work life or personal life during your twenties whom you especrally admired or wanted to emulate (an "Admired Person")? CHECK ONE: Yes _______No 33. (If yes): what was his/her/their relationship to . you? CHECK AS MANY AS APPLY: spiritual leader employer co-worker father professor mother . friend relative. Spec1fy: counselor spouse community leader Other. Specify: -204- 3b. (If yes): what was his/her/their sex? Male Female Members of both sexes Did you have a sense of what you wanted to be or do in your life when you were age 22? Yes No Vaguely 4a. (If "yes" or "vaguely,"): please describe what your "vision-of-yourself-in-the-world" was then. 4b. (If your answered "no,"): describe your situation at age 22 in regard to work, relationships, commitments at that time. or "vaguely" to question 4): did 5. (If your answered ”yes" . change during your "vision-of-yourself-in-the-world" Your twenties? Yes No 5a. If yes, what' did your "vision-of-yourself-in-the- world" become? -205- If. your answered "no" to question 4, did you have a "Vision-of-yourself-in-the-world" later ’ during your twenties? Yes No 6a. If yes, please describe what your "vision of your- self in the world" became. 6b . If you answered "no , " to question 6 , please check the statement that most clearly reflects your situation in your twenties. I spent my twenties pretty much drifting without any specific goals. I didn't want to "close off" my options for the future so I didn't want to make any commitments at this time. Other. Please specify: Were you married or in a close interpersonal love rela- tionship over a period of time in your twenties? . Yes No 7a. (If yes): did. your spouse or "significant other" affect your "vision-of-yourself—in-the-wo-rld" in any way? ' Yes No 7b. (If you answered "yes" to question 7a): please indi- cate the’ degree of support your Significant other or spouse had for your "vision-of-yourself" by circling one number below. 5 4 3 2 l extremely supportive less than supportive supportive -206- Did you have a close "Special Friend(s)" ‘during'jyour twenties? Yes - No 8a. (If yes): did your "Special Friend(s)" affect your ”vision of yourself in the world" in any way? Yes No 8b. (If you answered "yes" to question 8a): please indi- cate the degree of support your "Special Friend(s)” had for your "vision-of-yourself" by circling one number below. 5 ' 4 3 2 1 extremely supportive less than supportive , supportive 8c. (If yes): please indicate the sex(es) of your "Special Friend(s)" male female members of both sexes If you formed a ”vision-of-yourself-in-the-world"_during your twenties, was there a person(s) who stimulated, en- couraged or helped you to achieve your "vision-of—your- self-in-the-world”? ' Yes ' No 9a. If yes, what was the relationship of that person(s) to you? CHECK AS MANY AS APPLY: employer spiritual leader co-worker father professor mother . counselor relative. SpeCify: community leader my "Admired Person" lover (see #Ba) Other. Specify: 9b. If yes, what was his/her/their sex? male female members of both sexes -207- . As you think about your early adult life from age 22 to the time you decided to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U., indicate how important the issues listed below were to you. Check one number for each statement below. HOW IMPORTANT AN ISSUE WAS: very not important important .5432). a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j) k) l) m) n) o) p) Separating myself from my family and/or« parents' wishes Exploring. a variety of alternatives through travel, relationships and/or occasional work ‘ - Developing a sense of myself as an adult in the adult world Finding an occupational direction Pursuing my own individual dream Establishing a network of supportive friends Commiting myself to a cause Or philoso- phy of life . Establishing a love relationship *with another person Providing an income for myself Starting a career Becoming a competent worker Establishing a stable life structure built around my occupation Providing income, security and protec- tion for my spouse or family Establishing’ a stable life structure built around my marriage and family Increasing my skills and knowledge in my career field Other. Please specify: : i 9 1. u“... .. o. thm--.-. ”4‘ ~. . g...” -208- 11. As you think about your early adult life from age 22 to the time you decided to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U., rate as many categories as apply in order of their importance to you then with one (1) being the most true for you, two (2) next important, and so forth. Establishing a career or work life Establishing a close interpersonal relationship (5) Exploring a variety of personal and work options Marrying and beginning a family life Pursuing my own development Other. Please specify: END SECTION I: PLEASE STOP AND WAIT TO BEGIN SECTION II Time completed Section I -209— SECTION II The following questions in Section II deal with this current period in your life (from the decision to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U. to the present). Please spend a few minutes BEFORE you begin completing this section to reflect on your current life including your work, relation- ships, significant involvements, geographic moves. Time Begun Section II 12. Thinking about your current-life period, what are the most important issues to you now? Please describe. 13. Thinking about periods. of your life as chapters in your .autobiography, please give a chapter heading to the present period in your life. Chapter Title 14. As- you think about your current life, do you have ”a "vision-of-yourself—in-the-world" at this time? Check one: \ Yes No 14a. (If yes): ‘what is this "vision-of-yourself" now? Please describe. 15. 16. -210- 14b. (If no): describe your current situation in terms of work, relationships and commitments. Are you currently married or in a long-term interperson- al love relationship? Check one: Yes No 15a. (If yes): does your spouse or significant other affect your "vis ion-of -yourself—in-the-‘-world " in any way? Check one: Yes No 15b. (If you answered "yes” to iquestion 15a): please indicate the degree of support your spouse or signi- ficant other has for your "vision-of-yourself-in- the-world" by circling one number below: 5 4 3 2 l .extremely supportive less than supportive supportive Do you currently have a close "Special Friend(s)"? Check one: Yes No 16a. (If yes): does your "Special Friend(s)" affect your vision-of—yourself-in-the-world" in any way? Check one: ‘ Yes No 16b. (If you answered "yes" to question 16a):" please indicate the degree of support your SpeCial Friend(s)" has for your "viSion-of—yourself by circling one number below. 5 4 . 3 2 l extremely supportive less than supportive supportive 16c. (If you answered "yes" to question 16a): please indicate the sex(es) of your SpeCial Friend(s) by checking one item below. male female members of both sexes -2n- 17. Do you have a person(s) in your life now who is stimulat- 18. a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) 1) ing,. assisting, or encouraging you in pursuing your "ViSion-of-yourself-in-the-world"? Yes No 17a. (If yes): what is his/her/their relationship to you? CHECK ALL THAT APPLY: . employer spiritual leader co-worker father professor mother counselor relative. Specify: community leader Other. Specify: 17b. (If yes): what is his/her/their sex(es)? Check one: male female _ members of both sexes As you think about your current life from the time you decided to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U. to the present, indicate how important the issues listed below are to your. Check one number for each statement below. HOW IMPORTANT AN ISSUE IS: very not important important 5544'3 21 I Separating myself from. my family and/or parents' wishes Starting a career Starting a marriage g Parenting...raising my children as I'd like to (or deciding to parent) Exploring other roles and activities I missed earlier Finding an occupational direction Increasing my skills and knowledge in my career field Making deeper investments in my choices for life and work; setting long range goals and meeting them Becoming my own person with identity and. direction, not dependent (N1 boss, spouse, colleagues j) k) l) m) n) o) p) 19. END SECTION II: -212- HOW IMPORTANT AN ISSUE IS: Establishing, maintaining, or enhancing a close relationship with my spouse or loved one(s) Changing my career direction to a field more allied with my interests Pursuing my own individual dream Questioning' the choices I made in my twenties with regard to my personal life Establishing, maintaining or enhancing a network of supportive friends Providng an income for myself or fami— 1y Other. Please specify: very not impgrtant .importani ! r r T As you think about your life now, rate as many catego- ries as apply in order of their importance to you now with one (1) being the most true for you, two (2) next important and so forth. Establishing or enhancing my career or work life Exploring new career or work options Establishing or enhancing close interpersonal relationships Exploring a variety of Options in my personal life Establishing a marriage or family life (if applicable) Pursuing my own personal development Other. Please specify: Time completed Section I__7 -213- SECTION III The following questions relate to your decision to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U. now. Time Begun Section III 20. Why did you enroll in a a graduate degree program at M.S.U.? . 21. Why was 'it important to enroll now as opposed to some other time in your life? 22. Was‘ there a specific event or realization that served as a catalyst for you' to begin graduate studies now? Yes No 22a..If you answered ”yes," please describe the catalyst event or realization that served to cause you to begin graduate studies now. 23- Compared to other periods in your life, do you feel that you are now in a period of stability or tranSition in Your life and work? Please circle one number below. 9 5 4 3 2 I I'm in a I'm in a period of period of stability transition PLEASE NOTE: Page 21% seems to be missing in numbering only as text follows. UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS INTERNATIONAL -215- 24. Please check below the statement that most nearly de- scribes your situation at this point in your life. (If more than one statement applies, put a one (1) by the statement that is most accurate, and put a two (2) by the other relevant statement.) Not much has Changed for me in the last several years; I'm in a stable situation with respect to my life and work I've just come through a huge transition period in my life and work I feel I'm.consolidating a major period of personal and/or professional change I feel I'm on the verge of making alot of changes in my life and/or work i Other. Please speCify: 25. Is being a graduate student helping you make any changes in your life or negotiate any' transitions in your life or work? 5 ' ' I 4 3 2 l extremely . very helpful somewhat slightly not really helpful in transition .helpful_ helpful transition 26. If you answered "extremely helpful" or "very helpful," please explain. 27. Thinking 'about periods in your life as chapters in your autobiography, what's your guess for a chapter heading for the next period in your life? Chapter Title / 28. The Space below is for you to add anything you want to let us know about you that was not fully addressed in the,questionnaire. END SECTION IIT TIME Completed -216- As we had discussed at the beginning of the session, I will be interviewing some of you for about one hour. 1% you are willing to participate in an interview, please check below. I am willing to participate in an interview. There are only a few more questions that we want you to answer. Please go to the next page to finish up the FINAL SECTION of the questionnaire. Thank you for your time and sharing part of your life with us. GO TO NEXT PAGE -217— SECTION IV These questions relate: to your educational, personal and occupational background. Time Begun Section IV - Educational Background 29. From which college or university did you receive your undergraduate degree? WRITE IN ’ 30. What was your undergraduate major? WRITE IN 31. In what year did'your graduate? . WRITE IN year 32. At what age did you complete your undergraduate degree? WRITE IN age 33. Prior to enrolling in 'your present program, had. you continued your education in another graduate degree program since the completion of your bachelor's degree? CHEKCK ONE: ( ) I. Yes ) 2. No 33a. (If yes) Where did you attend graduate school? WRITE IN ' 33b. (If yes) What was your major? WRITE IN 33c. (If yes) Did you receive a graduate degree? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. Yes ( ) 2. No 33d. If you received a graduate degree, in what year did you graduate? WRITE IN year 34. In what graduate degree program are you now enrolled? WRITE IN 35. -218— Are you enrolled full-time or part-time? NOTE: Full time status is defined as 7 or more credits per term; part-time status is defined as 6 or fewer credits per term. ( ) 1. Full-time (7 or more credits per term) ( ) 2. Part-time (6 or fewer credits per term) Personal Background‘ 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. How old are you? WRITE IN years old What is your birthdate? WRITE IN What is your sex? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. Male ( ) 2. Female What is your marital status? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. Married ( ) 2. Divorced ( ) 3. Separated ( ) 4. Remarried ( ) S. Widowed ( ) 6. Never married How many children do you have? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. None ‘ ( ) 4. Three ( ) 2. One ( ) 5. Four ( ) 3. Two ( ) 6. More than Four; - Please specificy Please check the appropriate category for ethnicity: ( ) 1. White ( ) 2. Black ( ) 3. Hispanic ( ) 4. Asian What is your spouse's education? (if applicable). CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. some high school ( ) 7. Master degree ' ( ) 2. high school dip. ( ) 8. Academic doctor 3 ( ) 3. some college degree (Ed.D or Ph.D) ( ) 4. A.A. degree ( ) 9. M.D. or D.O. (medical ( ) 5. B.A. or 8.8. doctor's degree) ( ) 6. J.D. (law degree) ( )lO. D.D.S. (dentist degree) ( )11. Others: Specify: -219-- Personal Background 43. At the time you decided to enroll in your present program, were you employed? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. Yes ( ) 2. No 43a. (If yes): Were you employed as a volunteer or with - financial renumeration? ( ) 1. As a volunteer ( ) 2. With financial renumeration 43b. (If you were employed): Were you employed full-time, part-time or occasionally? CHECK ONE: NOTE: Full-time is defined as approximately 40 hours a week; part—time as approximately 20 hours a week; occasionally as fewer than 10 hours per week). ' I was employed: ( ) 1. Full-time ( ) 2. Part-time ( ) 3. Occasionally 44. Are you currently empldyed? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. Yes ( ) 2. No 44a. CLf yes): Are you employed as a volunteer or with financial renumeration? ( ) 1. As a volunteer . ( ) 2. With financial renumeration 44b. (If you are employed): Are you employed full-time, part-time or occasionally? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. Full—time (Approximately 40 hours a week) ( ) 2. Part-time (Approximately 20 hours a week) ( ) 3. Occasionally (Fewer than 10 hours a week) 45. Has your employment, volunteer or paid, led to your interest in your current field of study? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. Yes ( ) 2. No Time Completed Section IV Thank you for cooperation and for the time you spent complet- ing this questionnaire. APPENDIX 2 FINAL QUESTIONNAIRE AND CONSENT FORM EARLY ADULT DEVELOPMENT QUESTIONNAIRE' This questionnaire is part of a study-I am conducting for my dissertation research in the College of Education on the early adult. development of graduate student men and women at Michigan State University. It is divided into four sections. The first section relates to your early adult life prior to enrolling in graduate school at M.S.U. The second section deals with your current life and Section III re— lates to your enrollment in graduate school. Section IV asks some general information questions. Please fill in your name and date below. NAME QUESTIONNAIRE NUMBER DATE COMPLETED ****************************** SECTION I The following questions in Section I deal with your early adult life from age 22 to the time you decided to enroll in graduate school at Michigan State University. Please turn to the next page. -220- -221- 2 Early Adult Timeline Reconstruct for yourself a timeline of your early life from age 22 to the time. you decided to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U. Please write out your reconstruction in an informal essay. You may wish to recall your employment his- tory, geographic moves, education, relationship history as well as any significant events during that period. Year You Turned 22 Month and year you decided to enroll at MSU Allow yourself about fifteen minutes to reconstruct YOur early adult timeline using the years you listed above as your markers. You may use the next page to continue your autobiography. When you are through, please wait until we are ready to begin the next portion of Section I. -222- 3 Early Adult Timeline Please wait before beginning Section I. -223— . 4 The following questions deal with your early adult life from age 22 to the time you decided to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U. If you have any questions about items 1—7, please raise your hand I will answer them. Thank you. 1. As you look over your Early Adult Timeline on the preced- ing pages, what is your impression of its dominant ele- ments or themes? Thinking about periods of your life as chapters in your autobiography, please give a chapter heading for the chapter you just finished (from age 22 to the time you decided to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U.) Chapter Title 2a. Are there subchapters within this period? CHECK ONE: Yes No 2b. (If yes): what are they titled? Subchapters (if applicable) 2C. (If yes): What age(s) were you during those sub- chapters? As you think about your early adult life, did you have a sense of what you wanted to be or do in your life when you were age 22? Yes No _____Vaguely “ _ -224- 5 3a. (If "yes" or "vaguely,"): please describe what your “vision-of-yourself—in-the-world" was then. describe your situation at 3b. (If your answered "no,"): relationships, commitments age 22 in regard to work, at that time. (If your answered "yes" or "vaguely" to question 3): did your "vision-of—yourself-in-the-world" change during your twenties? Yes No 4a. (If "yes"): Please describe what your, "vision-of- yourself-in-the-world" became. 4b. (If "yes"): At what age were you when your "vision- of-yourself" changed? . . _, . as --——'£IB‘-¢‘=‘3'- W -225— 6 (If your answered "no" to question 3): did you have a "vision-of-yourself-in-the-world" later during your twenties? Yes No 5a. (If "yes"): please describe what your "vision of yourself in the world" became. 5b. (If "yes"): At what age were you when you had a "vision-of—yourself" later in your twenties? ’ A 9 5c. (If you answered "no" to question 6): please check the statement that most Clearly reflects your Situ- ation in your early adult life. I spent my early adult life pretty much drifting without any specific goals. I didn't want to "close off" my options for the future so I didn't want to make any comrnitments at that time. Other. Please specify: -226- 7 I9. As you think about your early adult life from age 22 to the time you decided to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U., indicate lumv important each of the life activi- ties listed below were and are to you at the time peri- ods listed in the right hand column. Use the following key to describe the importance of each life activity. 5=very important 4=important 3=neutral 2=less than important l=not at all important 0=not applicable HOW IMPORTANT A LIFE ACTIVITY? Age Mid Last 22 way 6 Mos. a) Finding an occupational direction b) Separating myself from my parents' ex- pectations c) Establishing a network of supportive friends (1) Providing an income for myself or fa- mily e) Establishing a love relationship ‘with another f) Exploring a: variety of alternatives through travel, relationships or work 9) Parenting (or deciding to parent) h) Starting a career i) Pursuing my own individual dream j) Commiting myself to a philosophy of life . k) Increasing my skills and knowledge in my career 1) Managing a home life m) Changing career direction n) Enhancing a relationship with my mate or significant other o) p) q) r) s) t) u) v) -227- Becoming my own person with identity and direction, not dependent on spouse, boss or colleagues Becoming a valued member of my occu- pational group Maintaining close ties with nnr family of origin Continuing my intellectual development Making deeper commitments to my work by setting long range goals and. meeting them Changing my relationship with my mate or significant other (divorce, separ- ation, etc) Becoming involved in community activi— ties Other: Specify: Age Mid Last 22 way 6 Mos. As you think about your early adult life from age 22 to the time you decided to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U., rank as many categories as apply in order of their importance to you then with one (1) being the most important for you, two (2) next important, and so forth. Establishing or enhancing a career or work life Establishing or enhancing a close interpersonal relationship (5) Exploring a variety of personal and work options Marriage and family life Pursuing my own development Other. Please specify: END SECTION I -228- SECTION II The following questions in Section II deal with this current period in your life (from the decision to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U. to the present). Please spend a few minutes BEFORE you begin completing this section to reflect on your current .life including your work, relation- ships, significant involvements, geographic moves. 8. Thinking about your current life period, what are the most important issues to you now? Please describe. 9. Thinking about periods of your life as chapters in your autobiography, please give a chapter heading to the present period in your life. Chapter Title 10. As you think about your current life, do you have a "vision-of-yourself-in-the-world" at this time? Check one: Yes No 10a. (If "yes"): what is this "vision-of—yourself" now? Please describe. -229- 10 10b. (If "no"): describe your current situation in terms of work, relationships and commitments. ll. As you think about your life now, rank as many catego- ries as apply in order of their importance to you now with one (1) being the most important for you, two (2) next important and so forth. Establishing or enhancing my career or work life Establishing or enhancing close interpersonal relationships Exploring a variety of personal or career options Marriage and/or family life Pursuing my own personal development Other. Please specify: END SECTION II T‘- -230- 11 SECTION III The following questions relate to your decision to enroll in graduate school at M.S.U. now. 12. Why did you enroll in graduate courses or a degree pro- gram at M.S.U.? 13. Why was it important to enroll now as opposed to some other time in your life? 14. Was there a specific event or realization that served as a catalyst for you to begin- graduate studies now? Yes ' No 14a. (If you answered "yes"): please describe the cata— lyst event or realization that served to cause you to begin graduate studies now. 15. Compared to other periods in your life, do you feel that you are now in a period of stability or tranSition in your life and work? Please circle one number below. 5 4 3 2 1 I'm in a I'm in a period of period of stability tranSition 15a. (If you circled "l" or "2"): please describe your situation. -231- 12 16. Please check below the statement that most nearly de- scribes your situation at this point in your life. (If more than one statement applies, put a one (1) by the statement that is most accurate, and put a two (2) by the other relevant statement.) Not much has changed for me in the last several years; I'm in a stable situation with respect to my life and work I've just come through a huge transition period in my life and work , I feel I'm consolidating a major period of personal and/or professional change I feel I'm on the verge of making alot of changes in my life and/or work Other. Please specify: 17. Is being a graduate student helping you ;make any changes in your life or negotiate any tranSitions in your life or work? 5 4 3 2 l extremely . very helpful somewhat slightly not really helpful in in transition helpful helpful transition 18. (If you answered "extremely helpful" or "very helpful"): please explain. 19. Thinking about periods in your life as chapters in your autobiography, what's your guess for a chapter heading for the next period in your life? Chapter Title 20. The space below is for you to add anything you want to let us know about you in regard to your early adult life. END SECTION III -232— 13 As we had discussed at the beginning of the session, I may want to interview you to clarify and expand on your questionnaire responses. If you are willing to partici- pate in an interview, please check below. I am willing to participate in an interview. There are only a few more questions that we want you to answer. Please go to the next page to finish up the FINAL SECTION of the questionnaire. Thank you for your time and sharing part of your life with us. GO TO NEXT PAGE -233- 14 SECTION IV These questions relate to your educational, personal and occupational background. Educational Background 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. From which college or university did you receive your undergraduate degree? WRITE IN What was your undergraduate major? WRITE IN At what age did you complete your undergraduate degree? WRITE IN ~ age Prior to enrolling in your present program, had ‘you continued your education in another graduate degree program since the completion of your bachelor's degree? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. Yes ( ) 2. No 24a. (If yes) Where did you attend graduate school? WRITE IN 24b. (If yes) What was your major? WRITE IN 24c. (If yes) Did you receive a graduate degree? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. Yes ( ) 2. No In what graduate degree program at M.S.U. are you now enrolled? CHECK ONE: Lifelong Education option Other Please specify: -234- 15 26. Are you enrolled full-time or part-time? NOTE: Full time status is defined as 7 or more credits per term; part-time status is defined as 6 or fewer credits per term. ( ) 1. Full-time (7 or more credits per term) ( ) 2. Part-time (6 or fewer credits per term) Personal Background 27. How old are you? WRITE IN years old 28. What is your sex? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. Male ( ) 2. Female 29. What is your marital status? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. Married ( ) 2. Divorced ( ) 3. Separated ( ) 4. Remarried ( ) 5. Widowed ( ) 6. Never married 30. How many children do you have? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. None ( ) 4. Three ( ) 2. One ( ) 5. Four ( ) 3. Two ( ) 6. More than Four; Please specify / 31. Please check the appropriate category for ethnicity: ( ) 1. White ( ) 2. Black . ( ) 3. Hispanic ( ) 4. Asian 32. What is your spouse's education? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. some high school ( ) 8. Academic doctor's ( ) 2. high school dip. degree (Ed.D or Ph.D) ( ) 3. some college ( ) 9. M.D. or D.O. (medical ( ) 4. A.A. degree doctor's degree) ( ) 5. B.A. or B.S. ( )10. D.D.S.(dentist degree) ( ) 6. J.D. (law degree) ( )11. Others: SpeCify: ( ) 7. Masters degree ( )12. Not applicable -235- 16 Occupational Background 33. At the time you decided to enroll in your present program, were you employed? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. Yes ( ) 2. No 33a. (If yes): WCre you employed as a volunteer or with‘ financial remuneration? ( ) 1. As a volunteer ( ) 2. With financial remuneration 33b. (If you were employed): Were you employed full-time, part-time or occasionally? CHECK ONE: (NOTE: Full-time is defined. as approximately 40 hours a week; part-time as approximately 20 hours a week; occasionally as fewer than 10 hours per week). - ' I was employed: ( ) 1. Full-time ( ) 2. Part-time (. ) 3. Occasionally 34. Are you currently employed? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. Yes ( ) 2. No 34a. (If yes): Are you employed as a volunteer or with financial remuneration? (I ) 1. As a volunteer ( ) 2. With financial remuneration 34b. (If you are employed): Are you employed full-time, part-time or occasionally? CHECK ONE: ( ) l. Fullvtime (Approximately 40 hours a week) ( ) 2. Part-time (Approximately 20 hours a week) ( ) 3. Occasionally (Fewer than 10 hours a week). 35. Has 'your' employment, volunteer or paid, led. to ‘your interest in your current field of study? CHECK ONE: ( ) 1. Yes ( ) 2. No Thank you for cooperation and for the time you spent complet- ing this questionnaire. , -__-_ “F.-. ..__._-._. _ _-... -.__ MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE RESEARCH CONSENT FORM To Whom It May Concern, I understand that the questionnaire I filled out for Karen Karelius on _ will be used as data for her doctoral dissertation on the early adult development of graduate student men and women:’ I have been promised that, in agreeing to participate, that all identifying information such as my name, occupation, town of residence and any such identifying information of persons mentioned by me in the questionnaire will be disguised or withheld in both the writing of the dissertation and in discussions with Ms. Karelius' faculty advisers. Name Date -236- APPENDIX 3 QUESTIONNAIRE ITEMS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS TO RESEARCH QUESTION QUESTIONNAIRE ITEMS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS TO RESEARCH QUESTIONS The questionnaire constructed for this study contained items corresponding to the research questions as numbered and listed in Chapter I and Chapter III. Research Question ' Questionnaire Item 1a: Life Dream at 3 times 3,4,5,10 1b: Important Life Activities 6 (see below for detailed at 3 times ' analysis of sub-items) 1c: Relative Importance of Issues 7,11 of Career, Relationships and Personal Development at Two times 2: The Early Adult Period Using Early Adult Timeline, the Life Structure as a 1.2.8.9,19 Unit of Analysis 3a: Why enroll at MSU 12 3b: Why enroll now 13 3c: Catalyst to enroll 14 3d: Transition or stability 15,16,17,18 The life activities listed in item 6 included 21 sub-items. Seven items each were identified as issues reflective of a career~relationship, or self-related domain of activity. These sub-items are identified below along with the domain which each was categorized. The 21 items were used to identify the important life activities at 3 time periods to note any shifts in priorities over time as well as any differences between men and women. -237- -238- Qgestionnaire Item 999319 6a Career 6b Self 6c Relationship 6d Career 6e Relationship 6f Self 69 Relationship 6h Career 6i Self 6j Self 6k Career 6l Relationship 6m Career 6n Relationship 60 Self 6p Career 6q ‘ ' Relationship 6r Self 65 Career \ 6t Relationship 6u ' Self APPENDIX 4 LETTER TO POPULATION AND CONSENT FORM MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE RESEARCH January 7, 1982 RE: Dissertation Research on Adult Development You have been identified by records in the Registrar's Office as a graduate student at Michigan State University newly enrolled in a masters degree program this year. I am a doctoral candidate in adult education conducting research regarding the early adult devel0pment 3nd reasons for returning to graduate study of men and women, ages 7-34. Very little research has been done on the early adult development of persons and none has been conducted using both men and women in the same sample. I am asking you as someone representing the research population to participate in the study by completing a questionnaire in a group setting. The group session will be for one hour during the last week in January on the MSU campus. The session is designed to offer a time for recollection and privacy to complete the questionnaire. In the questionnaire, you will be asked to answer questions related to your twenties decade, the current period of your life and the place graduate school enrollment has in your life story. Every one attending, like you, will be completing the questionnaire in privacy, hearing the same directions I give to you. I will arrange to interview those who are willing for one hour at a time most convenient for you in order to elaborate on your questionnaire responses. ‘ Please fill out the attached form indicating your willingness to " participate in the study and the dates you are available for the group questionnaire session and send it as soon as possible to me. A stamped addressed envelope is included for your convenience. If you have questions, I can be reached at (517) 353-3922 days or (517) 35l-5382 evenings. I want to assure you that your name will not be identified in any way in the course of the study. Also, you will receive results of the study, if you wish. I appreciate you taking the time to assist me in my research and I thank you in advance for your cooperation. Sincerely, Karen Karelius Ph.D Candidate, College of Education Department of College and University Administration a -240- RESEARCH ON ADULT DEVELOPMENT Please indicate below your willingness to participate in the study of the Early Adult. DeveIOpment of Graduate Student Men and Women, Ages 27-34 by checking one item below. YES, I am willing to participate in the group administered questionnaire session to be held the last week in January on the M.S.U. campus I do not wish to participate in the study Please indicate below your first, second and third choices for the day and time of the group questionnaire session. Monday, January 25, 1982 5:15-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 26, 1982 5:15-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 27, 1982 5:15-6:30 p.m. Thursday, January 28, 1982 5:15-6:30 p.m. Friday, January 29, 1982 1-2:30 p.m. Saturday, January 30, 1982 lO-llz30 a.m. Other. Pleast Specify: I will contact you immediately by telephone regarding the day, date, time and Place for the questionnaire session. Please leave a phone number below where you can be reached days and evenings. / a Name Phone (days) Phone (eves) Return this form as soon as possible in the enclosed stamped addressed enve— 10pe to Karen Karelius 441 Rampart Way #102 East Lansing, Michigan 48823 Thank you for your time and cooperation. APPENDIX 5 SCRIPT FOR FINAL QUESTIONNAIRE SESSION FINAL QUESTIONNAIRE SESSIONS Introductory Remarks Thank you for coming today to participate in this research project. I realize that all of you have very busy schedules and finding an hour required some juggling on your part. This research project is part of my dissertation research on the early adult development of graduate student men and women ages 28 to 32. All of you were first-time MSU graduate students in the fall, 1981, according to the Registrar's records. This study is exploratory and descriptive in nature, which means that there are no hidden agendas or hypotheses I am testing. The aim of the study is to describe and compare your responses to three major research questions. I am particularly interested in the period from age 22 to the time you decided to enroll in graduate courses at MSU, the life activities that were important to you at that time and the dream or vision of yourself in the future that you may have had in your twenties. I am also interested in this current period of your life, from the time you decided to take graduate courses at MSU to the present moment. Questions related to the life activities that are . important to you now will be asked as well as questions about the presence of absence of a vision of yourself in the future. The third section of the questionnaire deals with your reasons for returning to graduate studies now in your life and the fourth section deals with some general demographic information. -24l— -242- I may want to interview you to expand on some of your responses to the questionnaire items. There is a place in the questionnaire to indicate your willingness to participate in a short, one-hour interview to be arranged at your convenience during the next month. Before continuing further, I want to give you a brief account of the study of adult devel0pment to date and how this study relates to that rapidly growing field of inquiry. I will then review briefly the format of the questionnaire and procedures and then we will begin the actual questionnaire. The questionnaire itself will take you anywhere from forty—five minutes to one hour to complete. Background The study of adult develOpment is relatively new in terms of the academic study of adult lives. A great deal of the literature in the ‘ past has dealt with discrete and isolated aspects of adult life such as stress on the job, career develOpment, family life cycle, and individual psychological traits. Only recently have researchers begun to study adulthood as a period in the process of the life cycle. Adulthood was once thought to be a flat plateau, that space between adolescence and senility. Only recently have psychologists, sociologists and educators looked at adulthood as a period of potential growth and change like childhood and adolescence. It is this approach to adult development that I subscribe to and am most drawn to consider. I have Spent the last five years working in this area through my work with adults as an educator, program developer and counselor. I have followed closely the literature on -243— adult development during this time. You may have read or heard about Gail Sheehy's book Passages or Daniel Levinson's work called Seasons of a Man's Life. Their approach is basically biographical to the study of lives, looking at individuals first rather than studying only small portions of their lives to test a theory. The problem with the research up to the present time has been that the highly publicized studies have been done primarily on men. These men were born during the Depression or were in their childhood during this period. The research on women has grown only recently but again most of those studies of adulthood have concentrated on women in mid-life, born again in the Depression era. The importance of the study in which you are participating as co~researchers is that for the first time it combines men and women of a younger cohort, the so-called Baby Boom generation. You are all college graduates pursuing further study, a group not previously isolated for investigation in the past. You lives, interests and visions may represent a different configuration than has been drawn previously in the adult development research; I‘am open to whatever your lives, collectively, seem to tell me about the early adult devel0pment of men and women ages 28~32. The questidns asked in this questionnaire are drawn from the literature on adult development. Out of the myriad of concepts and “variables" reflected in the literature, I have chosen to focus on only questions related to important life activities to you in your twenties and now and the presence of absence of a dream or vision of yourself in the future. -244- The early Adult Timeline, which is at the beginning of the questionnaire, is designed to allow you time to recollect the last chapter in your life, the period from age 22 to the time you decided to enroll in graduate school, so that you can answer the questions in Section I from the perspective of a rekindled awareness of that period in your life. I have found that answering such questions “cold,“ without the benefit of recollection of your own unique history, does not allow for as candid and accurate a description of your earlier , twenties. This is the reason why I wanted you to come to a group-administered questionnaire session rather than complete the questionnaire in your home. Again, I appreciate your willingness to come to the group. The questionnaire is divided into sections. The first part of Section I, is the Early Adult timeline. I will ask you all to spend at least 15 minutes considering this portion of the questionnaire. After you all complete the Early Adult Timeline, I will be giving the directions for the remainder of the questionnaire. Then you may complete the remainder of the questionnaire at your own speed. If you have any questions about any of the items, raise your hand and I will answer them. Each of us has a unique life story and recollecting the past and articulating current involvements is a very private undertaking. Therefore, I ask you to honor each other's privacy and to be as quiet as you can for the next forty-five minutes. There is coffee, tea and cookies available for you to have during the session, if you wish. Now, let us begin the first section of section one, the early adult timelines. -245- When approaching the Early Adult Timeline, I want you to be as descriptive of your life as you can be in 20 minutes. There are no “wrong" or "right" answers; no expected response pattern. Your own unique life story is what is asked for here. I want you to now relax, sitting comfortably in your chair and close your eyes. Move back in your mind's eye to the year when you turned 22. Recall the place you were living, the person with whom you were involved, the job or work you were doing, how you remember yourself feeling and looking. Letting your mind race through the years, move through the landscape of your past experience in your twenties. You may wish to recall your employment history, geographic moves, education, relationship history, as well as any significant events during that period. We will spend the next twenty minutes for this brief life review. When you finish, please look up and wait until we all begin the next section of the questionnaire. Part II of Section I Now as we have all finished the Early Adult Timeline, you may wish to take a few deep breaths and prepare for part II of section I. Hopefully, the life review you just completed breathed life into your sense of yourself in your twenties and the people who were very much a part of your experience then. The following questions relate to that sense of yourself and the people in your life as well as the issues that seemed most important to you then. There are a number of questions that relate to the presence of absence of a "vision of yourself in the future." This phrase relates to a sense of yourself in terms of your part in the world. Many peOple have called this a life dream, a way you saw yourself being in -246- the future. Visions range from being a famous novelist to being in relationship with a loved one and raising a family to heading your own company to being a world traveler. A number of questions relate to this Vision at different time periods in your twenties and now. Many people may not have had a dream. The questionnaire seeks to find out whether or not you did or did not have a vision of yourself. Again, there is no “right“ or “wrong" response. You will note that question 6 on page 7 asks you to indicate how important a number of life activities were and are to you. You will see that there are three time periods listed by each life activity. The category "mid way" relates to the period about half way between age 22 and the last 6 months. Please use the key given to answer the question "how important a life activity" for each of the time periods. when you are finished with the questionnaire, please hand it into me along with the signed copy of the consent form. Again, thank you for your participation. APPENDIX 6 GUIDELINES FOR CATEGORIZATION OF OPEN- ENDED QUESTIONS GUIDELINES FOR CATEGORIZATION OF OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS Life Dreams Each participant was asked to answer questions regarding the presence or absence of a Life Dream and its nature. Responses by each participant were c0pied onto 3 by 5 cards with one card each for each separate response (age 22, a dream change or a dream later than age 22 and current period). Responses were categorized by the context of the description of the Dream. 1. Career: Any Dream that was mentioned using a career description only, i.e., forester, accountant or a general description of a kind of work, was categorized as a career dream. 2. Relationship: Any Dream that mentioned the person either in relationship to another person (spouse, lover, children) or regarding the status of the issue of a relationship in his/her life (i.e., to remain single, to marry, etc.). 3. Self: Any Dream that was expressed in a "being“ dimension-e that is, "competent," “wellebalanced," etc. This also included only dream descriptions that were expressed in terms of the participant's life outside of career or relationships. 4. Career + Relationship: Any Dream that combined these two contexts, i.e., "in a relationship while performing duties in a service profession." 5. Career + Self: Any Dream that combined these contexts, i.e., "I see myself as a wellerounded individual in a position of authority and responsibility." 6. Relationship + Self: Any Dream that combined these two contexts, i.e., "I see myself as a competent person willing and able to share my life with another." 7. Career + Relationship + Self: Any Dream that combined all three contexts, i.e., "I envision myself as a capable human being, a mother and wife, as well as a successful career person." -247- -248— Any Dream that did not easily fall into the above seven categories was reported and a particular category created for that response. Examples were “knew what I didn't want;" "lack direction" and those responses that indicated, in the middle twenties, that the former dream had changed but no new one was formed to take its place. Reasons for Enrolling Each participant answered a number of questions regarding his/her reason for enrolling in graduate school, the catalyst, if any, that led to enrollment, and the perceived benefits of graduate school for making changes in their lives. For each of these questions a separate 3 by 5 card with the participant's reSponse was made. The 37 responses were grouped for each question and the cards read over repeatedly to see the categories that emerged from the data as classifications. As the responses were clustered into similar response patterns, categories were created to describe the responses. This classificaa tion scheme emerged from the data rather than having preset categories to place each response. After the initial round of classification, categories were collapsed into larger, more encompassing categories. The first round of classifications are presented in Chapter IV, as well as the data transformation that were used to collapse categories into larger, more encompassing categories. Examples of categories are cited in the text. J "‘lITlllTTlMilli