Occupational aspirations and academic achievement: Rethinking the direction of effects and the role of socioeconomic status in middle childhood and adolescence

Abstract

Research into the relation between occupational aspirations and academic achievement has substantially grown. What remains unclear, however, is whether and how this relation, including the direction of effects, (1) unfolds dynamically in middle childhood and adolescence and (2) varies by socioeconomic status (SES). The present study aimed to address this, using the contemporary and nationally representative data from England through the UK's Millennium Cohort Study (Analytic N = 5517) and applying random intercept cross-lagged panel modelling. Results showed that achievement unidirectionally and positively predicted aspirations in middle childhood. Achievement and aspirations predicted each other cyclically in adolescence, although their magnitudes varied. Moderation analysis demonstrated that this cyclical relation in adolescence was only significant amongst high and medium SES groups. For the low SES group, aspirations did not significantly predict achievement at any age point, despite relatively high aspirations. We discuss theoretical and practical implications, especially the differential effect of occupational aspirations in driving academic outcomes by SES.