Maria do Céu Taveira

Dilemmas of girls and women in engineering: a study in Portugal

The reason that girls and women withdraw from science and technology education and careers has been a universal concern in the social sciences. This study investigated how gendered constructions of identity are translated into the barriers and fears that female students and professional women experience in decision-making about their careers. We conducted interviews with 63 girls and 39 women in academic and professional engineering careers, focusing on their interpersonal relationships with boys and men in their school and occupational engineering settings, respectively. Participant discourse highlighted the difficulties women face when managing the antagonistic discourses of femininity and masculinity in a social environment in which they are frequently forced to submit to hegemonic masculinity. The consequences of women’s differing discourses about the “masculine world” and the “feminine world” are discussed, and some strategies for creating more equalitarian relational environments in school and work settings are discussed.

Test of the social cognitive model of well-being in Spanish college students

The social cognitive model of well-being was tested in a sample of 373 college students in Spain. Participants completed measures of academic self-efficacy, environmental support, goal progress, academic satisfaction and stress, trait positive affect, and overall life satisfaction. A path analysis indicated that the model fit the data well and accounted for substantial portions of the variance in academic domain satisfaction, academic stress, and life satisfaction, though a few path coefficients (e.g., from positive affect and environmental support to academic stress) were nonsignificant. We consider the findings in relation to prior tests of the well-being model and discuss implications for practice and future research.

Discursos de adolescentes sobre a vida profissional e familiar: entre o sonho e a realidade

Nowadays, one of the main challenges women must face when making or trying to make a professional choice for life is the conciliation between family life and professional life. In spite of the relevance of this topic in books about career management, scarcity of research about it during adolescence is still evident. This study aims at assessing the consciousness of this process in adolescent girls, as well as how they cope with that task, when they project themselves into the future. Data were collected from nineteen semi-structured interviews carried out with Portuguese girls attending an urban high school in the north of Portugal. The analysis and discussion of results have been conducted with the support of discourse analysis.

Exploração vocacional em adolescentes: avaliação de uma intervenção em classe

Analisa-se o impacto de uma intervencao psicologica na exploracao e tomada de decisao vocacional em adolescentes portugueses. Em contexto curricular e de classe, desenvolveram-se actividades de exploracao do meio e do Eu com 39 alunos e 43 alunas do 9o ano, entre 13 e 17 anos (M=14,4, DP=0,95). Em um design pre/pos-teste, aplicaram-se o Career Exploration Survey (CES) e o Career Decision Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ). Os resultados do teste do sinal evidenciaram ganhos significativos (p<0,01) nas dimensoes de exploracao e diminuicao significativa da falta de informacao profissional (p<0,01) e do total das dificuldades de decisao (p<0,05). Observou-se um padrao de correlacoes negativas (ro de Spearman) entre as duas medidas vocacionais, evidenciando uma relacao entre a informacao explorada na intervencao e a diminuicao das dificuldades de decisao por falta de motivacao. Em geral, os resultados suportam a importância do papel da exploracao da carreira na diminuicao das dificuldades de tomada de decisao.

Análise fatorial confirmatória da prova de avaliação de competência social face à carreira

Social competence is concerned to how people perceive and act in a variety of social situations. This study evaluates the psychometric characteristics of the Perceived Social Competence Scale (PSC-Car). Participants were 572 Portuguese adolescents (M=13.28 years; SD=.59) who are in the 8th grade. Results of the Confirmatory Factor Analysis suggest a factorial solution consisting of eight factors. The global indices of fitness of the model are quite robust, proving that it is a good solution in the adjustment of empirical data (X2/df=4.097, CFI=.895, GFI=.851, RMSEA=.079). The results stimulate the development of new researches and interventions that approach social skills in order to develop socially intelligent behaviors for career adaptation, advancement and success of young people.

Autogestión de la carrera profesional y el emprendimiento: una experiencia con estudiantes de doctorado

Introduction. This study presents an experience developed with PhD students aimed to analyze the extent to which career self-management should be approached along with entrepreneurship issues to promote students’ career development. Method. An intervention group who attended a Career Self-Management Seminar (EG1), a comparison group who attended the CSMS followed by a Seminar on Entrepreneurship (EG2), and a control group (CG) were compared, in three different moments (pre-test, posttest, and follow-up). Results. Results at an intra and inter-group level indicate that the EG1 and the EG2 significantly increased the extent of self-exploration, the intended-systematic exploration, and the amount of acquired information over time, and also their concerns related to holding and updating their careers. According to the longitudinal research plan, the EG1 participants benefited most of this career intervention. Discussion and Conclusion.The results suggest the effectiveness of the career seminar in most of the career development measures, particularly in comparison with the nonintervention. Implications are drawn to the development of career services and interventions that promote a reflection about entrepreneurship as a career path.

Self de carreira: estudo longitudinal com estudantes universitários

O self de carreira constitui um subconjunto organizado do universo cognitivo de uma pessoa, responsavel pelo caracter subjetivo que a mesma confere a carreira. Este estudo pretende avaliar mudancas no conteudo do self de carreira de estudantes universitarios, do inicio para o final do ultimo ano de graduacao. Para tal, recorreu-se a medidas repetidas dos indices da Grelha de Repertorio da Carreira (Silva & Taveira, 2005; Silva, 2008). Na investigacao, participaram 80 estudantes, dos quais 49 sao mulheres (61,25%) e 31 sao homens (38,75%), com idades entre os 21 e os 45 anos (M= 23,9, DP= 4,31). Os resultados indicam que, no final da licenciatura, os estudantes diminuem a distância como se constroem em relacao aos outros e mantem uma construcao positiva do self de carreira.

Psychometric Properties of a Career Exploratory Outcome Expectations Measure

Social cognitive career theory and research are advanced by increasing attention to career outcome expectations and by applying this theory earlier in the life span. This article offers the career exploratory outcome expectations construct as a means of applying the more general construct of career outcome expectations during the childhood period and introduces the psychometric characteristics of the Career Exploratory Outcome Expectations Scale (CEOES). Employing data from 446 fifth graders and item response theory (IRT), the CEOES presents a one-dimensional structure with a four-category Likert-type response scale. Favorable results of person- and item-separation reliability were found and the scale appears to perform equally well for both genders. The CEOES also demonstrated concurrent validity through positive associations with established self-efficacy measures. The CEOES constitutes a useful measure to study aspects of career outcome expectations in childhood, and psychometric findings affirm its use in the career assessment literature.

Measuring university-to-work success: development of a new scale

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a subjective multidimensional measure of early career success during university-to-work transition. Design/methodology/approach – The construct of university-to-work success (UWS) was defined in terms of intrinsic and extrinsic career outcomes, and a three-stage study was conducted to create a new scale. Findings – A preliminary set of items was developed and tested by judges. Results showed the items had good content validity. Factor analyses indicated a four-factor structure and a second-order model with subscales to assess: career insertion and satisfaction, confidence in career future, income and financial independence, and adaptation to work. Third, the authors sought to confirm the hypothesized model examining the comparative fit of the scale and two alternative models. Results showed that fits for both the first- and second-order models were acceptable. Research limitations/implications – The proposed model has sound psychometric qualities, although...

Intra and inter-individual differences in social intelligence of Portuguese students

Social intelligence is a favorable condition for career decision-making and development. The social intelligence indices of Portuguese students in school years prior to a career transition are characterized and intra and interindividual differences are analyzed. Participants were 1095 students (552, 50.4% women) with a mean age of 14.78 years (SD = 1.86), in the 8th (542, 49.5%), 10th (295, 26.9%) and 11th (258, 23.6%) grades. The Cognitive Test of Social Intelligence (PCIS) was administered at two moments, six months apart. Results indicate that the 8th grade obtained higher average scores in Problem Solving, Motivation and Self-confidence (time 1), while the 10th grade obtained better results in Problem Solving, Motivation and Familiarity (time 2). Between the assessment moments, all school years register an increase in Problem Solving and Self-confidence in social situations. These results constitute favorable psychological conditions for the promotion of ethical questioning in career guidance interventions.A inteligencia social constitui uma condicao favoravel a tomada de decisao e ao desenvolvimento vocacional. Este trabalho visa caracterizar os niveis de inteligencia social, e analisar as diferencas intra e interindividuais, em alunos portugueses em anos de pre-transicao vocacional. Participaram 1095 alunos (552, 50% mulheres), com uma media de idades de 14,78 anos (DP = 1,86), do 8o, 10o, e 11o niveis escolares. Administrou-se a Prova Cognitiva de Inteligencia Social (PCIS), em dois momentos (T1 e T2), com seis meses de intervalo. Os resultados indicam que o 8o ano obteve resultados medios superiores, nos indices de Resolucao de Problemas, Motivacao e Autoconfianca (T1), enquanto o 10o ano obteve resultados superiores, em Resolucao de Problemas, Motivacao e Familiaridade (T2). Entre momentos de avaliacao, registra-se, para todos os niveis escolares, um aumento em Resolucao de Problemas e Autoconfianca em situacoes sociais. Estes resultados constituem condicoes psicologicas favoraveis a promocao do questionamento etico nas intervencoes de orientacao vocacional.