Relationships among perceived career support,affective commitment,and work engagement

This study sought to test the predictive effects of perceived career support and affective commitment on work engagement. It was hypothesized that perceived career support would relate positively to work engagement and this relationship would be transmitted through affective commitment. Survey data were collected from 115 full‐time employees enrolled as part‐time graduate students in a large public university in Malaysia. Multiple regression analysis yielded results indicating that the relationship between perceived career support and work engagement was mediated by affective commitment. This finding suggests that employers can promote employee work engagement by ensuring employees perceive their organization to be supportive of their career and increasing employees' level of affective commitment.     

The Relevance of Self‐Evaluations for Students' Career Optimism

This study investigated how people's beliefs regarding their vocational abilities (i.e., career decision self‐efficacy) are associated with their perceived academic control, self‐liking, and self‐competence. It also assessed the relevance of these 4 types of self‐beliefs for personal job optimism among 268 Croatian college students. Results indicated that participants' career decision self‐efficacy and perceptions of their chances of finding jobs nationwide were significant predictors of personal job optimism. Furthermore, the influences of self‐competence and perceived academic control on personal job optimism were mediated by career decision self‐efficacy. These results extend previous research and may be informative for vocational guidance interventions.     

Factors influencing career maturity in the South African National Defence Force: A diagnostic approach

This study investigated factors influencing the career maturity of young members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). A sample of 310 young SANDF members (females=35%, blacks=90%) completed the following measures: career maturity inventory-revised, the career decision self-efficacy scale, the military hardiness scale, and the seven habits profile. They also completed a biographical information form. Data were analysed using multiple regression to predict career maturity from career decision self-efficacy, self-appraisal, occupational information, goal selection, planning, problem solving, hardiness, control, challenge, commitment, conscientiousness, life balance, pro-active behaviour, life goals, self-management, mutual-benefit thinking, listening, teamwork, continuous improvement and life skills. Findings suggest self-efficacy, occupational information, self-appraisal, commitment, challenge, emotional intelligence and continuous improvement have the strongest influence on career maturity. The results indicated that self-efficacy, life skills and personal drive empower young members to seek employment.     

Increasing Career Self‐Efficacy for Women: Evaluating a Group Intervention

The study evaluated whether women participating in a career group designed to increase career‐related self‐efficacy would make gains on career decision‐making self‐efficacy and vocational exploration and commitment compared with women in a control group. Thirty‐one women participated in a 6‐week treatment group, and 30 women participated in a no‐treatment control group. Results indicated that, compared with the control group, women in the treatment group improved on career decision‐making self‐efficacy and vocational exploration and commitment, and maintained those gains at 6‐week follow‐up. The discussion focuses on implications for counseling, limitations of the study, and future research.     

The effect of self‐regulated decision making on career path and major‐related career choice satisfaction

The present research examined the influence of self‐regulated decision making on satisfaction in career path (college major for Study 1, job for Study 2) and major‐related career choice. Results indicate a full mediating effect of fit in the relationship between self‐regulated decision making and satisfaction in career path. Self‐regulated decision making also influenced major–job congruence via satisfaction with a participant's college major. Findings suggest that individuals who possess self‐regulatory ability in decision‐making contexts were more likely to choose majors and jobs of good fit, experience satisfaction from their career decisions, and choose careers relevant to their college majors.     

Action regulation theory and career self-management

Much of the responsibility for managing careers is shifting from employers to adaptive and proactive employees. A career management intervention based on action regulation theory trained 205 white collar employees to engage actively in their own career building by increasing their self-knowledge, career goal commitment, and career plan quality. As hypothesized, these three variables were positively related to subsequent career self-management behaviors, which led both directly and indirectly to career satisfaction almost 10 months after the intervention. Self-management career interventions based within an employing organization appear feasible.     

Emotional Intelligence and Career Decision‐Making Self‐Efficacy: Mediating Roles of Goal Commitment and Professional Commitment

This study is the first to examine the mechanism of the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and career decision‐making self‐efficacy (CDMSE) and the moderating role of gender in relevant mechanisms. Analyses of 185 Chinese university students showed that EI could influence CDMSE through goal commitment (GC) and professional commitment, and male students exhibited a stronger relationship between EI and GC compared with female students. This study introduces a new perspective for career development research by establishing a mediation‐based emotion–career framework and provides deeper insights for career counselors to assist clients in career decision processes.     

Influences in the Decision‐Making Process for Careers As a Speech‐Language Pathologist or an Audiologist

This study consisted of data obtained from 297 surveys about career decision‐making influences for students and professionals in speech‐language pathology and audiology. Decision‐making factors were similar across both professions, with personal factors being the most influential. Employment and education factors were also critical in making professional decisions. Early course work played a significant role in the career paths of people in these professions.     

Fostering Creativity in the Classroom: Effects of Teachers' Epistemological Beliefs,Motivation, and Goal Orientation

The relationships of teachers' epistemological beliefs, motivation, and goal orientation to their instructional practices that foster student creativity were examined. Teachers' perceived instructional practices that facilitate the development of multiple perspectives in problem solving, transfer, task commitment, creative skill use, and collaboration were measured as indicators of their effort to foster creative thinking in students. Participants were 178 elementary‐school teachers of third‐, fourth‐, and fifth‐graders. Teachers' learning goal orientation was the most significant teacher attribute that demonstrated significant impacts on all five creativity‐fostering instructional practices. Teachers with sophisticated beliefs about knowledge and with high intrinsic motivation for creative work also reported supporting student creativity through some of their instructional practices. However, teachers' motivation for challenging work, beliefs about learning, or performance goals did not significantly predict most of the creativity‐fostering instructional practices. Educational implications of the current findings are offered.     

Difference as a Resource for Thinking: An Online Dialogue Showing the Role Played by Difference in Problem Solving and Decision Making

Contemporary societies require citizens and workers to face unexpected challenges. This calls for a shift of emphasis from individualistic competence to the importance of collective intelligence. This article describes a plan for a project in which students who are eight to twelve years old will not only realize that difference is a crucial resource in problem solving and decision making but also live out their personal value as thinking, active beings. They will participate in an online dialogue that takes place among children who attend schools in under‐resourced communities and in middle‐class and upper‐class communities. The students will work on learning units based on philosophical content designed to stimulate their critical ability. The philosophical scenarios will be related to the everyday lives of the children through concrete examples. These examples will be followed by questions that aim to promote the advancement of the students’ thinking skills.     

Applying the Cognitive Information Processing Approach to Career Problem Solving and Decision Making to Women's Career Development

An expanded framework of the Cognitive Information Processing (CIP) approach to career problem solving and decision making is outlined for career counseling with women. The modified framework addresses structural and individual barriers in women's career development and provides practical suggestions for applying and evaluating the CIP approach in career counseling.     

Causal Attributions and Sex Differences Associated With Perceptions of Occupational Barriers

This study extends previous research addressing sex differences in perceived occupational barriers and evaluates the mediating role of causal attributions in the relationship between perceived occupational barriers and career maturity. Participants (85 women and 30 men) listed their perceived barriers to occupational goals, completed a measure of attributions for career decision making, and completed 2 different measures of career maturity. Findings revealed that a larger proportion of women than men perceived past barriers associated with family-related issues. Results also revealed a significant, negative relationship between the number of perceived occupational barriers and career maturity for participants who believe that career decision making is an externally caused, uncontrollable process. The implications of these findings and suggestions for career counselors to integrate perceived barriers into the counseling process are discussed.     

What else could I have done? Patients' responses to failed treatment decisions

Successful and failed renal transplant patients were compared concerning their perceptions of the initial decision to undergo transplantation. Results suggest that, relative to successful transplant patients, failed transplant patients recalled the circumstances of the initial decision in a manner that lessened personal responsibility for that decision. In essence, they indicated that they had had little choice but to make the decision they had made. There was slight evidence that failed transplant patients diffused responsibility for the decision or its outcome onto others. Implications for patient involvement in medical decision making and for the informed consent procedure are discussed. It is concluded that cognitive factors may play a role in undermining possible self-recrimination following failed treatment decisions in which a patient has been involved.     

The virtue of problem‐solving: Perceived partner virtues as predictors of problem‐solving efficacy

Three studies involving dating relationships and friendships tested the hypothesis that higher perceived partner virtues (or personal strengths enacted in the context of relationships) are related to greater relationship problem‐solving efficacy. Studies 1 and 2 showed that higher perceived partner virtues were related to more relationship problem‐solving efficacy concurrently and longitudinally. Study 3 showed that perceiving one's partner as more virtuous predicted increased turning toward one's partner for assistance, which, in turn, predicted increased problem‐solving efficacy. All 3 studies showed that higher perceived partner virtues were related to greater relationship problem‐solving efficacy.     

Constructivism and Career Decision Self‐Efficacy for Asian Americans and African Americans

Career development that adequately addresses the needs of multicultural students is important. The authors explored whether a constructivist career course might be a viable mechanism for improving career decision self‐efficacy for 81 Asian American and African American college students. Results indicated significant increases in all 5 elements of career decision self‐efficacy: self‐appraisal, occupational information, goal selection, planning, and problem solving. Hence, constructivism shows potential as a way to integrate multicultural and career competencies in the classroom.     

Can Perfectionism Affect Career Development? Exploring Career Thoughts and Self‐Efficacy

This study identified relationships among career‐specific barriers (i.e., perfectionism, negative career thoughts, career decision‐making self‐efficacy) in a sample of 300 college students. The authors found relationships among the constructs of interest, prediction of variance in career decision‐making self‐efficacy, and differences among groups of perfectionists on endorsements of negative career thoughts and career decision‐making self‐efficacy. The findings suggest that interventions addressing maladaptive perfectionism and dysfunctional career thinking may enhance clients’ confidence in decision making.     

The professional career on the right track: A study on the interaction between career self-management and organizational career management in explaining employee outcomes

This article explores the relationship between organizational career management and career self-management and addresses the impact on employee outcomes. Within six large organizations, a sample of 491 employees reported on their career self-management initiatives, on their expectations towards organizational career support, and on their commitment and career success. This was complemented by information from their supervisors on career management support offered by HR and line management to these employees. Results show that individuals who take more initiatives to manage their career expect more career support from their employer. Career self-management positively impacts affective commitment and perceived career success, while organizational career management is positively related with affective commitment and career progress. Career self-management moderates the relationship of organizational career management with affective commitment and subjective career success.     

Adding Career Biographies and Career Narratives to Career Interest Inventories

This study with 20 adults explored adding career biographies and career narrative writing to the career interest assessment report process. Participants reported that biographies and narratives helped them identify themes to consider how their career plans fit their personal lifestyle, meaning making, and values. This study offers 1 way to incorporate narratives and story to explore the self and self‐in‐context to activate meaning‐making processes in career interest assessment reports. Until career interest assessment reports include career biographies and a process for writing career narratives, only career counselors can offer this type of service to clients.     

Contextual Themes in Career Decision Making of Female Clients Who Indicate Depression

Difficulties concerning female counseling center clients' career decision making were explored in this qualitative study. The authors reviewed counseling intake and progress notes of 18 female students who sought counseling services at a university counseling center and who presented career concerns and reported feeling depressed. Most women in this study described their career decision‐making difficulties in the context of relationships with their parents or significant others. Both external (i.e., family relationships, family and culture, and relationships with significant others) and internal (i.e., developmental, developmental and mental health issues, and skill deficits) conditions emerged as significantly affecting these women's career decision‐making process.