VOCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT HIGH INTELLECTUAL ABILITY

Abstract

The importance of implementing educational intervention programs based on the identification of specific needs in the population with high intellectual ability has been widely recognized. Exploring the vocational interests of these adolescents allows for a better understanding of their unique characteristics, facilitating the implementation of appropriate and timely educational responses. This descriptive, quantitative, and cross-sectional study aimed to compare the vocational interests of high school students identified with high intellectual ability and those of their average-capacity peers. The sample consisted of 39 second-year high school students: 15 with high intellectual ability and 24 with average capacity. The Self-Directed Search (SDS- Form R), based on the RIASEC typology, was administered. Although the results did not reach statistical significance, they showed that the group with high intellectual ability leaned toward Investigative and Realistic areas, while the average-capacity group gravitated toward Social and Artistic areas. Analysis of gender differences within each group revealed that males with high intellectual ability predominantly showed interests in Artistic, Social, and Conventional fields, whereas females with high intellectual ability stood out in Investigative, Realistic, and Enterprising areas. It is concluded that both groups exhibit significant heterogeneity in vocational interests; notably, female adolescents with high intellectual ability showed an absence of vocational interests subordinated to traditional gender roles. These findings may be valuable for designing guidance programs tailored to this population.