Personal factors and career adaptability in a call centre work environment: The mediating effects of professional efficacy

The study sought to assess the extent to which professional efficacy mediates the relationship between personal factors and career adaptability in a call centre work setting. The sample consisted of 409 early-career South African call centre workers (black females = 66%; age range 25 to 40). They completed measures of professional efficacy, career adaptability, sense of meaningfulness, and emotional intelligence. The results of the mediational analyses revealed that professional efficacy significantly mediate the personal meaningfulness (sense of coherence) and career adaptability relationship, but not the emotional intelligence-career adaptability relationship. Emotional intelligence independently predicted career adaptability. Call centre agents with professional efficacy are likely to be more work engaged as a result of their sense of meaningfulness and emotional intelligence.     

On (not) listening for theory: the trainee’s use of theory as defence against the stress of beginning psychodynamic practice

This paper offers reflections on the trainee’s relationship with, and use of, theory in the early stages of psychodynamic practice. It addresses the issues of ‘listening for theory’ in the face of the unsettling, yet inevitable, stress and insecurity of beginning psychodynamic practice and the daunting awareness of the work being assessed by the training institution. While theory makes psychodynamic work possible and applying theory is explicitly welcomed in psychodynamic training, the paper argues that the unexamined use of theory is problematic as it, albeit unconsciously, is used by the trainee as a defensive retreat into a private mental sanctuary from the intimate, relational space of the consulting room and from the felt incompetence and inexperience aroused in the immediate encounter with the client. Exemplified through accounts of working with a particular client during my training, the paper examines the trainee’s evolving relationship with theory, in the light of what impedes and promotes therapeutic progress, as a significant marker of the trainee’s development to work psychodynamically.     

Reasonable Partiality in Professional Relationships

First, two aspects of the partiality issue are identified: (1) Is it right/reasonable for professionals to favour their clients’ interests over either those of other individuals or those of society in general? (2) Are special non-universalisable obligations attached to certain professional roles? Second, some comments are made on the notions of partiality and reasonableness. On partiality, the assumption that only two positions are possible – a detached universalism or a partialist egoism – is challenged and it is suggested that partiality, e.g. to family members, lies between these two positions, being neither a form of egoism, nor of impersonal detachment. On reasonableness, it is pointed out that ‘reasonable’ is an ambiguous concept, eliding the notions of the ‘morally right’ and the ‘rational.’ Third, a series of practical examples are taken from counselling, medicine, law, education and religious practice and some common principles are abstracted from the cases and discussed. These include truth-telling, confidentiality, conflicts of interest between clients and particular others and between clients and society. It is concluded that while partiality can be justified as a useful tool in standard cases, particular circumstances can affect the final verdict.     

师生关系对研究生自我效能感的影响:有调节的中介模型

为探讨师生关系与自我效能感的关系,并着力考察专业认同和导师负面评价恐惧在其中所起的作用,采用一般自我效能感量表、研究生师生关系感知问卷、专业认同量表、害怕导师负面评价量表对458名研究生进行调查,结果发现：（1）师生关系可正向预测研究生自我效能感;专业认同在两者间起中介作用;（2）导师负面评价恐惧在师生关系通过专业认同影响自我效能感的中介模型后半段起调节作用,即对于导师负面评价恐惧较高的研究生来说,专业认同对其自我效能感的影响更大。研究结果揭示了师生关系对自我效能感的作用机制。     

Sensibiliser les filles à l'orientation vers les métiers scientifiques et techniques. Évaluation d'un dispositif

Girls’s diversification of career choices seem relatively resistant to training program. One explanation of this situation is the lack or even absence of procedures for evaluating this program. The article proposes an evaluation of a training program entitled “female engineer” designed exclusively for high school girls. The objective was to encourage female students guidance in this profession. The results are mixed and are interpreted in terms of cognitive dissonance and upward social comparison. The results also show the need to develop in the same time the training program and his evaluation.     

大学生人格类型与专业认同间的关系研究

本研究对旅游管理专业大学生进行了MBTI人格测验,并采用问卷调查与内隐联想测验(IAT)两种方式了解被试的专业认同状况。研究发现样本的专业认同存在显著的外显—内隐分离,在内隐层面上缺乏足够认同。性别、人格类型与专业认同之间存在一定关联,部分人格维度可作为判断大学生专业认同状况的有效变量。     

Influence of personal therapy on learning and development of psychotherapeutic skills

The aim of the present study was to investigate psychodynamic psychotherapists’ experience of the influence of personal therapy on professional growth during training with a focus on the acquisition of knowledge and the development of psychotherapeutic skills. Thematic analysis was conducted on interviews with former students (N=10) at two training institutes for psychoanalytic psychotherapy. The resulting theme “professional subjectivity” indicated that personal therapy was experienced as having a positive effect on learning and growth of professional skill by facilitating the development of a theory- and knowledge-based professional subjectivity, a personally founded, professional attitude. Important elements of this development are “shared experience,” “personal influence,” and “knowledge integration.” The emergence of professional subjectivity proved to be an important factor in terms of professional advancement for future psychotherapists. Finding and relating to their own subjectivity was crucial in the process of developing a personally founded, professional attitude in the clinical work.     

Shari‘a in Sydney and New York: A Perspective from Professionals and Leaders Dealing with Islamic Law

This article explores how Shari‘a is conceptualized and experienced by 50 Muslim legal professionals and leaders in Sydney and New York. It analyses qualitative data on issues concerning the experience of Muslims with Shari‘a, on how this can be improved in both countries and on how compatible Shari‘a is with their respective legal systems. While the Muslim community should not be homogenized in either of these two global cities, the analysis discovers strong similarities with regard to dealing with a parallel legal system and implementing a more formal process. The New York sample expresses stronger support for a more community-based approach, while the focus on Shari‘a compliant business is stronger among the Australian participants. With regard to gender issues, the large majority of the respondents offer a strong reflective approach to dealing with these issues.