Volume_4_Issue_2_Digest

TPC D igest 27 Heather C. Robertson, NCC, is an Assistant Professor at St. John’s University. Pamelia E. Brott, NCC, is an Associate Professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Correspondence can be addressed to Heather C. Robertson, 80-00 Utopia Parkway, Sullivan Hall, Jamaica, NY 11439, robertsh@stjohns.edu. T his study, based on data from a disser- tation, examined 136 midlife military veterans, with an average age of 51. The veterans had previously transitioned, or were in the process of transitioning, to K–12 teach- ing positions in the civilian sector. The research intended to examine how life satisfaction can be explained by internal (e.g., self-confidence) and external (e.g., support from others) career transition factors. Focusing on life satisfaction among midlife career changers and military members transitioning to teaching, the authors chose the following research question to guide the study: To what extent is the life satisfaction of military members who are transitioning or have transitioned to teaching explained by the five career transition factors of readiness, confi- dence, control, perceived support and decision independence? Schlossberg’s “AModel for Analyzing Hu- man Adaptation to Transition” was used as a framework for the research. The research utilized the Career Transitions Inventory (CTI), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and demographic questions. The CTI examines the five career transition factors: readiness (pre- paredness), confidence (belief in one’s ability to manage the process), control (individual input and influence over the process), per- ceived support (from other important members of the person’s life) and decision indepen- dence (impact of one’s decisions on others). Two transition variables, confidence (r = .23) and control (r = .31), demonstrated slight yet statistically significant positive correlations to life satisfaction. Of the five predictor vari- ables, control was the only transition variable found to explain life satisfaction. Control was found to account for 10% of the variance in life satisfaction. Combined, control and readiness explained approximately 16% of the variance in life satisfaction. None of the other career transition variables (confidence, support, deci- sion independence) added any statistically significant value to explain life satisfaction. Military Veterans’ Midlife Career Transition and Life Satisfaction – DIGEST Heather C. Robertson Pamelia E. Brott