Date of Graduation

2003

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Measures of maternal attachment, psychological separation from mother, and career choice commitment behavior (individuation markers) were taken from a sample predominantly composed of senior-level undergraduate students. Responses on the IPPA-R were used to categorize participants descriptively according to their maternal attachment style. Attachment style groups were labeled as Secure, Ambivalent, and Avoidant. Statistical procedures included MANOVA and stepwise multiple regression analyses. Differences were detected among the three maternal attachment style groups on four psychological separation variables. Some variables of psychological separation emerged as predictors of career choice commitment and tendency to foreclose. However, a large portion of the variance of these career constructs remained unexplained. Maternal attachment and psychological separation seemed to be interactive processes for identity development.

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