Robert C. Reardon

Dysfunctional Thinking and Difficulties in Career Decision Making.

The present study examined the relationships between two measures of career readiness and difficulties—the Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI) and the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ)—as well as the relations between these measures and the individual’s degree of decidedness regarding his or her career plans. A total of 192 university students enrolled in a career-planning class filled out both questionnaires. As hypothesized, the two measures overlapped significantly. There was a highly significant correlation (corrected for attenuation) between the total scores of the questionnaires (r= .82), but the correlations between the questionnaires’ subscales varied between –.03 and .83. Both the CTI and the CDDQ distinguish among individuals at different stages of the career decision-making process. As hypothesized, participants with a higher degree of decidedness reported lower levels of difficulties. Implications of the unique features of each of the measures for career-related interventions and further research are discussed.

College Career Courses: Design and Accountability

This article examines 46 reports of career courses offered in colleges since the 1920s. The authors located approximately 80 references regarding the design, development, management, and evaluation of such courses in colleges and universities. There were 38 reports of studies indicating positive changes in output variables, for example, career decision making. There were 15 reporting a positive impact in outcomes, for example, retention.

The Design and Use of a Measure of Dysfunctional Career Thoughts Among Adults, College Students, and High School Students: The Career Thoughts Inventory:

This article reviews the impact of dysfunctional career thinking on career choice, the use of cognitive restructuring to identify, challenge, and alter dysfunctional cognition, and the limitations of existing readiness screening and cognitive restructuring procedures. The recently developed Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI) can be used by practitioners to assist adults, college students, and high school students to identify, challenge, and alter dysfunctional career thoughts, and then subsequently take action to make career choices. The cognitive information processing and cognitive therapy theoretical bases of the instrument are described, followed by a discussion of the development of the CTI and the CTI Workbook. Data are then presented on the readability, standardization, reliability (internal consistency and stability), and validity (content, construct, convergent, and criterion) of the measure. The use of the CTI is then described in terms of screening, needs assessment, and learning. Issues related to terminology, diversity, and utility are also discussed. The article concludes with a discussion of preliminary experience in using the CTI in practice.

The Relationship between Dysfunctional Career Thoughts and Adjustment to Disability in College Students with Learning Disabilities.

This study examined the relationship between dysfunctional career thoughts and adjustment to disability among college students with learning disabilities. Data were obtained from 153 college students with learning disabilities at a large southern university and 595 general college students from the normative sample of the Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI). Results indicated that college students with learning disabilities had fewer dysfunctional career thoughts in general, less career decision-making confusion, and less commitment anxiety than the normative sample. However, students with learning disabilities had more dysfunctional career thoughts related to external conflict than the normative sample. A relationship was found among the CTI scores and the scores on the adapted Adjustment scale of the Reaction to Impairment and Disability Inventory. Findings indicated that as the prevalence of dysfunctional career thoughts decreased, the positive adjustment to learning disability increased.

A differential feature-cost analysis of nine computer-assisted career guidance systems

James P. Sampson, Jr. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Services and Studies, Robert C. Reardon is Professor and Director of the Curricular-Career Information Service, Janet K. Humphreys is a Doctoral Student in the Department of Human Services and Studies, Gary W. Peterson is a Professor and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research for the College of Education, Michael A. Evans is an Assistant Director of the Career Center, and Dorothy Domkowski is Director of the STAR Center at the Florida State University. The first and second authors also codirect the Center for the Study of Technology in Counseling and Career Development at Florida State University. Support for this analysis has been provided by grants from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Florida Department of Education Bureau of Career Development, the Florida State University Department of Human Services and Studies, and DANTES (Defense Activities for Non-Traditional Education Support). Software has been made available by the American College Testing Program, the Educational Testing Service, Houghton-Mifflin Company Educational Software Division, STM Systems Corp.-Careerware, and the University of Oregon. The authors may be contacted at 215 Stone Building, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-3001.

Developing an E-Portfolio Program: Providing a Comprehensive Tool for Student Development, Reflection, and Integration

Student portfolio development is an area of interest and activity on many campuses. This article describes an 8- year effort by leaders in student and academic affairs at a large research university to implement an e-portfolio. Initiated in response to a suggestion by the university president, the 5-year development process has led to the creation of a system now used by over 25,000 students. The e-portfolio program features activities that enable students to learn about and document nine general skills related to life/career development, which can then be shared with employers, faculty, and other referred users. This provides a framework for students to reflect upon and integrate their full learning experiences. Outcomes of an evaluation process are briefly described, followed by a review of e-portfolio program accomplishments, ongoing work, and future possibilities.

Interest Profile Elevation, Big Five Personality Traits, and Secondary Constructs on the Self-Directed Search: A Replication and Extension

The study used the Self-Directed Search (SDS) and the NEO-FFI to explore profile elevation, four secondary constructs, and the Big Five personality factors in a sample of college students in a career course. Regression model results showed that openness, conscientiousness, differentiation high-low, differentiation Iachan, and consistency accounted for significant variance in profile elevation. A significant correlation was found between profile elevation and extroversion. A unique relationship between the two measures of differentiation and profile elevation was found. A multi-variate analysis of variance and orthogonal contrasts, using the five personality factors as dependent variables and profile elevation as the independent variable, was conducted as a partial replication of an earlier study. The findings provide potential interpretive ideas for a therapist using the SDS and suggest that profile elevation explains some aspects of a clients results not accounted for by the other secondary constructs.

The Effects of Decision-Making Style and Cognitive Thought Patterns on Negative Career Thoughts

Peoples thoughts and beliefs about themselves and their career options affect their ability to make decisions. Career counselors would benefit from knowing the factors that contribute to negative career thoughts. This study examined two unexplored factors that may affect the development and maintenance of negative career thoughts, decision-making styles and a ruminative thought pattern. Pearson product correlations and a multiple regression were used to determine the extent to which maximizing and rumination predicted negative career thoughts. Results suggested that maximizing and rumination are moderately correlated with negative career thoughts. Together they account for 14% of the explained variance of negative career thoughts. Implications of findings on practice and research are discussed. The cognitive information processing theory is also presented as a method by which to conceptualize a clients maximizing decision-making style and ruminating thought patterns.

Big Questions Facing Vocational Psychology: A Cognitive Information Processing Perspective

This article draws upon the authors’ experience in developing cognitive information processing theory in order to examine three important questions facing vocational psychology and assessment: (a) Where should new knowledge for vocational psychology come from? (b) How do career theories and research find their way into practice? and (c) What is the nature of career development and vocational choice in a global economy? Topics include the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge in this field, the extensive information provided by established career theories and applications, the ongoing need to inform practice through theory and research, the transformation and dissemination of knowledge from the laboratory to the field, and the common themes among education and work issues in a global economy.

Holland's Theory and Implications for Academic Advising and Career Counseling

John Hollands typological theory of persons and environments is regarded as the most influential in the field of career counseling (Brown, 2002), but few have carried the theory over to the field of higher education and academic advising (Smart, Feldman, & Ethington, 2000). Therefore, Hollands theory and the subsequent research on it were explored to determine if the theory would be an appropriate means of understanding the behavior and organization of college faculty members and students. A practical approach for integrating a Holland-based system of academic advising and career counseling is discussed.