Stability of interests across ethnicity and gender: A longitudinal examination of grades 8 through 12

RIASEC interests were assessed in grades 8, 10, and 12 on a large national sample of 69,987 college bound students. Random samples of 1000 were drawn to represent each of the major US ethnic groups (African, Asian, Native, Mexican, Latino (non Mexican), Anglo, and Multiracial Americans) and interests were examined as they varied across time, ethnicity, and gender with respect to structure, mean changes, stability, clarity, and interest-occupational choice congruence. Results indicate that the structure of interests did not vary as a function of time, gender or ethnicity. The pattern of interests was fairly stable and similar across all ethnic groups and both genders. Congruence and clarity increased in 10th grade but both decreased in 12th grade suggesting a time of re-examination.