Factors Influencing the Selection of Speech Pathology as a Career: A Qualitative Analysis Utilising the Systems Theory Framework

Factors identified by 16 participants during in-depth interviews as influencing selection of speech pathology as a career were described using the Systems Theory Framework (STF, Patton & McMahon, 2006). Participants were highly likely to identify factors from the individual and social systems, but not the environmental-societal system, of the STF as influential in the decision to enter speech pathology. Previous exposure to speech pathology through therapy intervention or through knowing a speech pathologist emerged from the analysis as highly influential, which provides an example of interaction between factors from the individual and social systems within the framework. The STF was found to be a useful tool to classify influential factors in the selection of a career in speech pathology and this information can be used in the future by universities and the profession to assist in the recruitment of students to the speech pathology program.