Research Program

We generally assume that vocational indecision is "normal" for adolescents and young adults, that it is common for them to have no idea what there are going to do with their lives. Whereas for some of them, this phenomenon fades over time, a proportion of them remains undecided, which will translate into problems such as failing to obtain a degree. This observation is particularly worrisome knowing the growing need for a highly-skilled workforce brought by a knowledge economy and baby boomers progressively leaving the job market. Since students who dropout due to indecision don’t necessarily experience academic difficulties, it becomes important to identify the underlying mechanisms and their determinants.

Work within the Chair aims, on the one part, at better understanding how parents can support their child in formulating a concrete career plan and committing to its necessary steps. Parents’ contribution will be examined especially with respect to their ability to support the satisfaction of children’s psychological needs. A second goal is to identify the factors that promote or hinder parents’ supportive behaviors.

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