Abstract
This study examines the relationship between neuroticism and career indecision in separate samples of men and women. College students (151 men, 183 women) constituted the samples. Career indecision was measured by the Career Decision Profile (CDP; Jones, 1989). Constructs used in the study that assess neuroticism included perceived stress, positive and negative affectivity, and state-trait anxiety. In addition, five life history factors predictive of vocational decision-making were also included. Separate cluster analyses were performed for each sample, resulting in two 2-cluster solutions. The first, the maladaptive clusters (high in stress, anxiety, and negative affectivity), emerged for both genders. The second clusters did not replicate across gender. Women in the second cluster, who were well-adapted, exhibited strong academic and scientific interests. The second cluster for men, although exhibiting low stress and anxiety, did not have high scores on any career decision-making variables. The results are discussed in the context of gender differences and the neurotic dimension of career indecision.
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