Measuring Readiness For Career-Decision Making with the Career Thoughts Inventory in Finland

The aim of this study was to examine the adaptation versus adoption of the Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI, Sampson, Peterson, Lenz, Reardon, & Saunders, 1996a) outside the U.S. as a measure readiness for career decision-making. A sample of Finnish polytechnic students (N = 666) completed a Finnish-language version of the CTI. A principle components analysis identified three components: Decision-Making Confusion, Commitment Anxiety, and External Conflict. The results were in accordance with the findings of the U.S. validation studies. The three-factor model explained 36.97% of the total variance. Given the Finnish translation of the CTI, the factor structure and reliability coefficients supported the construct validity of CTI scores and partial structural equivalence was observed. The results demonstrated that it would be appropriate to adapt, not to adopt, the CTI based on CIP theory to the Finnish context. Before implementation of the Finnish CTI in practice, certain modifications in items and scales are warranted.