Effects of Parental Functioning on Career Path Selection of University Students in Kisumu City, Kisumu County, Kenya

Asuma Mariita Nchaga & Murongo Esau
Kampala International University, Uganda
Email: corneliusasuma@gmail.com

Abstract: This paper investigated the effects of parental functioning on career path selection of University students in Kisumu City, Kisumu County, Kenya. A descriptive survey design was used in the study. The study respondents were 10690 as the target population and a sample of 371 participants were selected using Krejcie and Morgan (1970) formula. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data using SPSS version 24. Results revealed that 92.1% variation in career path selection among university students is explained by parental functioning. The results indicated that 7.9% variation in career path selection by university students is explained by other factors. Parental functioning has a statistically significant positive effect on career path selection by university students. Parent-Child-Interaction, ß =(0.208, ρ = 0.001), Parent-Child-Attachment, ß = (0.354, ρ=.000) and Parent-Child-Support, (0.770, ρ=.000) showed that parental support has greater effect followed by parental attachment and the least was parental interactions, although all are statistically significant. It was concluded that parental functioning influences career path selection among university students. Parental support and parental attachment have a greater effect than parental interaction. It was recommended that students and career counsellors including parents and learning institutions should put greater emphasis on parental support, parental attachment and parental interaction. The study further recommended that students should consider parental functioning when selecting their career paths.