Nadya A. Fouad

A test of a social cognitive model for middle school students: Math and science.

This study tested Propositions 1, 3, and 4 of the R. W. Lent, S. D. Brown, and G. Hackett (1994) social cognitive model with ethnically diverse middle school students (N = 380): that an individuals vocational interests are reflective of his or her concurrent self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations, that self-efficacy beliefs affect choice goals and actions, and that outcome expectations affect choice goals and action. R. W. Lent et al. (1994) also proposed that demographic and individual difference variables (such as gender or race-ethnicity) mediate learning experiences that play a role in forming self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations. The study investigated a model in which age and gender were represented as antecedent conditions to learning experiences. Self-efficacy was modeled to have both a direct influence on interests and an indirect influence on interests through outcome expectancies. Finally, intentions were modeled to be influenced by self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, and interests. Results support the R. W. Lent et al. Propositions 1, 3, and 4 for this middle school population.

Subject-matter specificity of self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, interests, and goals: Implications for the social–cognitive model.

This study was designed to investigate the academic-subject-matter domain specificity of self-efficacy, interests, outcome expectations, and goals. Four major subject-matter domains were selected to investigate this issue: math/science, art, social studies, and English. To examine this question, 16 instruments were constructed to measure the 4 concepts across the 4 subject domains. An analytical strategy similar to that used in multitrait multimethod studies was used. Using this strategy, a series of factor models was tested for fit to the data using confirmatory factor analytic procedures. Results indicated that a factor solution that accommodated both distinct subject matters and distinct constructs provided the best fit to the data, supporting the existence of the constructs of academic self-efficacy, interests, outcome expectancies, and goals that are specific to each subject-matter domain.

Math and Science Social Cognitive Variables in College Students Contributions of Contextual Factors in Predicting Goals

This study investigated the influence of two contextual factors, parental involvement and perceived career barriers, on math/science goals. Using social cognitive career theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994), a path model was tested to investigate hypothesized relationships between math- and science-related efficacy beliefs (i.e., task and coping) and perceived career barriers to math/science interests and goals in a sample of 227 undergraduates. Overall fit indices supported a model for the direct contribution of parental involvement largely to outcome expectations and moderately to math/science task self-efficacy and perceived barriers. Parental involvement directly and indirectly predicted goals through its strong relationship with outcome expectations. Outcome expectations and interests directly predicted goal intentions. Evidence supported coping efficacy as a mediator of the relationship between perceived career barriers and goals. Future research directions and practice implications are discussed.

Need, Awareness, and Use of Career Services for College Students

This study examined whether university students were psychologically distressed or had difficulties with career decisions to indicate whether they needed career services, whether they were aware of the services offered by the campus counseling and career services, and finally, whether they had used the services. Findings indicated that students indicated difficulties with career decisions, high levels of psychological distress, and low levels of psychological well-being and that about half of students were aware of career services but much fewer had used those services. There were relationships among psychological distress and career-related variables for undecided students. Results are discussed with implications for career services on university campuses.

Structure of interests in employed male and female members of US racial-ethnic minority and nonminority groups.

This study explored the structure of interests across large samples of employed U.S. racial-ethnic minority and nonminority adults drawn from over 38,000 individuals who were part of the 1994 revision of the Strong Interest Inventory (SII; L. W. Harmon, J. C. Hansen, F. H. Borgen, & A. C. Hammer, 1994; N = 805 African Americans, 795 Asian Americans, 36,632 Caucasians, and 686 Latinos-Hispanics). Correlation matrices from the general occupational themes of the SII were subjected to 2 analyses commonly used in structural analyses of Hollands themes: randomization test of hypothesized order relations and multidimensional scaling. Analyses tested whether the data fit the circular and equidistant hexagonal structure models. All of the data fit the circular model that corresponds to Hollands calculus assumption, but the data for women and for some of the male racial-ethnic groups did not fit the more stringent equidistant hexagonal structure.

Houston, 2001 Context and Legacy

This article presents an overview of the Houston 2001 National Counseling Psychology Conference. The authors discuss the context for the 4th National Counseling Psychology Conference, documentthe process of decision makingaboutthe conference, andexamine the content of the conference. The authors also examine a unique feature of the conference, the social action groups, discussing their philosophical underpinnings as well as how they were organized, what took place, and recommendations drawn from the groups. The authors evaluatethe outcomes of the Houston Conference andalso assess the conference within the context of the legacy of the three other counseling psychology conferences held at Northwestern University in 1951, in the Greyston Conference Center at Teachers College in 1964, and in Atlanta in 1987. Finally, the authors make recommendations for the field to move the conference’s initiatives forward and plan for future conferences.

Cross-cultural structure of interests: Mexico and the United States

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate two hypotheses. The first stated that the structure of interests was similar across two cultures (United States and Mexico) using two levels (students and professionals) of males in a single occupation (engineering). Thus, holding occupation and gender constant, the cross-cultural similarity of the structure of interests was examined. Support was found for this hypothesis. The second hypothesis investigated three forms of Hollands calculus assumption concerning the specific structure of the six occupational themes. Hollands calculus assumption states that the distance between all adjacent occupational types (e.g., RI) is less than the distance between all alternate types (e.g., RA) which, in turn, is less than the distance between all opposite types (e.g., RS). A more stringent form assumes that the six themes form the vertices of an equilateral hexagon, while a weaker form merely asserts that the structure of the occupational themes is circular. The calculus assumption was supported, thereby also supporting the assumption of a circular structure. Evidence in support of an equilateral hexagonal structure was not found.

Outcome Expectations: Looking to the Past and Potential Future.

This article focuses on the construct of outcome expectations. It is argued that the construct has received relatively little attention in the vocational literature. The authors define outcome expectations, trace the precursors to the construct, provide a critique of the operationalization of the construct, and propose recommendations for future research.

The construct of career maturity in the United States and Israel

Abstract This study investigated the construct of career maturity in the United States and Israel by assessing attitudes about career decision making. Eight hundred eighty-five U.S. and 537 Israeli 9th- and 12th-grade high school students were given the career maturity Inventory (CMI). Results indicated differences across cultures in career maturity as well as sex differences on some individual subscales of the CMI. Results also showed grade differences for Israeli students but not for U.S. Students.

Cross-Cultural Differences in Vocational Interests: Between-Group Differences on the Strong Interest Inventory.

This study was designed to examine the vocational interests among members of the same racial/ethnic group who differ in age, educational level, and professional attainment. Student samples of African Americans, Asian Americans, European Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and American Indians (n = 3,637) completing the Strong Interest Inventory (L. W. Harmon, J. C. Hansen, F. H. Borgen, & A. L. Hammer, 1994) were compared with the racial/ethnic minority professionals in the 1994 criterion group and a 10% sample of the Caucasian professionals (n = 1,699). The largest effect size was found for sex differences in interests. Student samples had significantly lower scores on all 6 Holland themes than professionals.