Domain-Specific Career Aspirations, Motivation, and Achievement in Math and Reading Across Adolescence

The formation of career aspirations is an essential developmental task in adolescence. During this stage, young people often face educational and vocational decisions that involve choosing areas of specialization, such as mathematics or language arts. While motivational beliefs (self-concept, interest, or related constructs such as intrinsic motivation) and achievement have been identified as important predictors of math- and reading-related career aspirations, less is known about (1) how career aspirations in these domains evolve, (2) whether associations to motivational beliefs change and (3) whether domain-specific career aspirations themselves predict future motivational beliefs and achievement (i.e., recursive effects). Based on expectancy-value theory and dimensional comparison theory, this study used longitudinal data from adolescents in Germany (N = 8,289) to evaluate the stability, trajectories, and predictors of math- and reading-related career aspirations. Second, we investigated whether within- and cross-domain associations with motivational beliefs change over time and if career aspirations predict future motivational beliefs and achievement. We observed increasing stability of domain-specific career aspirations and slight increases in reading- and math-related career aspirations from adolescence (age 13) to young adulthood (age 21). Associations between intrinsic motivation and reading-related career aspirations were stronger at 16 compared to age 13. Further, cross-lagged panel models revealed partial support for effects from career aspirations to motivational beliefs measured two years later. The results underline adolescence as a critical period for career development and have implications for career counseling and domain-specific specializations during adolescence.