Understanding Women's Propensity: Perspectives From In-Depth Interviews

摘要

The Youth Attitude Tracking Study (YATS) follow-up interviews of young women were conducted to enhance our understanding of enlistment propensity. These interviews followed a research protocol that asked the young women about their career and life plans, particularly those related to enlistment propensity. Other areas addressed by the protocol included current and prior enlistment propensity and reasons for any changes between the two, images of life in the military, sources of information about opportunities for women in the military, and perceptions of women's roles and opportunities in the Armed Forces. The in-depth interviews were conducted in a semi-structured, open- ended manner that allowed the young women to respond in their own words. This approach provided insight into what the young women think is important, and the ways that events in one life domain affect, or are related to, enlistment propensity. This paper summarizes the results of this study as they relate to enlistment.