Parental Influence on First-Year Students' Choice of Academic Major in Higher Education

Author

Bouasone Vongphachanh

Abstract

 This study examines how parental influence shapes first-year students’ choice of academic major at public and private higher education institutions in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR, where formal career guidance remains limited and families often provide the main source of advice. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from 390 first-year students at two public university faculties and two private institutions through a validated 36-item Likert-scale questionnaire. Overall parental influence was moderate (M = 3.228, SD = 0.502) and operated mainly through career self-efficacy and support rather than pressure. Sociodemographic factors explained only limited variation, although first-generation status and father’s education were significant. Students in public institutions seemed to receive more influence from their parents than those in private institutions. This difference was clearer in the areas of family values and career communication. The mediation analysis suggested that students’ aspirations played an important role in explaining how parental influence was linked to choosing a major that matched students’ own interests. Student agency also explained part of this relationship, but not completely. These findings challenge the assumption that parental influence in collectivist settings is always directive. They also suggest the need for career guidance systems that involve families while helping students strengthen their own aspirations and decision-making capacity.

Keywords

Parental influence; Major selection; Higher education; Student aspirations; Cultural capital

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