Samuel H. Osipow

A TAXONOMY OF DIFFICULTIES IN CAREER DECISION MAKING

A general theoretical taxonomy of career decision-making difficulties, based on decision theory, has been developed. To examine the proposed taxonomy empirically, a questionnaire was constructed in which the various possible difficulties in the theoretical model were represented by respective statements. The questionnaire was administered to a sample of 259 young Israeli adults who were at the beginning of their career decision-making process and to an American sample of 304 university students. The observed relations among the 10 scales, which represent the 10 theoretical categories of difficulties, and those among the items within 2 selected categories, were similar in the 2 samples and compatible with the expected relations derived from the theoretical model. The implications for career counseling and research are discussed. The growing rate of change in the world of work increases the number of career transitions individuals make during their lifetime. The quality of the career decisions made during these transitions is significant for both the individual and society. Making a career decision is, however, a complex process. Although some people make such decisions easily, at least apparently, others face difficulties in making their career decisions, and many seek professional help. One of the central aims of career counseling is to facilitate the career decision-making process of counselees and, in particular, to help them overcome the difficulties they encounter during this process. Therefore, identifying the unique difficulties that prevent individuals from reaching a decision is an essential step in providing them with the help they need. The construct of career indecision has been used to refer to the problems individuals may have in making their career decision (for a review, see Slaney, 1988). Because of its recognized significance, career indecision is one of the central research issues of career psychology (Betz, 1992;

A scale of educational-vocational undecidedness: A typological approach

Abstract A scale designed to measure and identify antecedents of educational-vocational indecision was administered to a variety of college student groups expected to differ in career-decidedness. Results indicate that the scale is reliable, appears to discriminate career-decided from career-undecided students, and is responsive to interventions designed to alleviate educational-vocational indecision. A factor analysis of the scale yielded four factors: need for structure, perceived external barriers, positive choice conflict, and personal conflict. The instrument has potential for diagnostic, criterion, and conceptual purposes related to career indecision.

Convergence in theories of career choice and development: Review and prospect

Abstract Theories of career choice and development have exerted an active force on vocational research and counseling practice for more than 40 years. As the major theories have evolved, the influence of some diminished, while those remaining influential have come to resemble each other in important ways. This paper analyzes these similarities in order to determine whether the field is moving toward an integrated theory. The analysis leads to the conclusion that commonality exists in many major ways, but that some important differences between the theories remain and are useful for specific populations and purposes.

Career decision making

Contents: S.D. Phillips, N.J. Pazienza, History and Theory of the Assessment of Career Development and Decision Making. R.B. Slaney, The Assessment of Career Decision Making. N.E. Betz, The Assessment of Career Development and Maturity. K.M. Taylor, Advances in Career-Planning Systems. H.E.A. Tinsley, D.J. Tinsley, An Expanded Context for the Study of Career Decision Making, Development, and Maturity.

Construct and Concurrent Validity of the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire:

In order to examine the construct and concurrent validity of the Career Decision-making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ), responses of 403 university students (76% freshmen) to this questionnaire as well as to the Career Decision Scale (CDS) and the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale (CDMSES) were analyzed. As hypothesized, the correlation between the CDDQ and the CDS was positive (.77), and the correlations of these two questionnaires with the CDMSES were negative (-.50 and -.52, respectively). The structure of the 10 difficulty categories of the CDDQ replicated previous findings. In addition, undecided students had significantly higher CDDQ and CDS scores, and lower CDMSES scores than decided students. The implications of the findings for the assessment of difficulties associated with career decision making in counseling and research are discussed.

Occupational stress, strain, and coping across the life span

Abstract Three hundred ten employed adult males and females were studied with respect to their report of occupational stresses, strains, and coping behaviors. Using the Occupational Environment Scales older respondents generally reported more overload and responsibility and fewer insufficiencies, boundary role, and physical environment stresses than did younger respondents. Older respondents also displayed a trend toward decreasing vocational, psychological, physical, and interpersonal strain than younger respondents, and greater recreational, self-care, and rational-cognitive coping resources than younger respondents. No differences by age group were seen in the use of social supports as coping devices. The findings for sources of stress by age were as expected based on life span career development roles. It is postulated that older workers learn to use coping resources, thus enhancing their ability to experience reduced strain given equal amounts of stress. However, some workers who do not cope well may leave the labor force as they age as a result of illness, death, unsuitability for employment, or early retirement.

The relationship of coping resources to occupational stress and strain

Abstract Stress, strain, and coping are thought to be related within a closed system of individual perception. This suggests that individuals differ in their reports of stress, strain, and the mechanisms they use to cope. A field study was conducted using the Osipow and Spokane (1983) scales to test the relationship of coping resources as moderators to stress-strain relationships. It was found that role overload is the most significant source of strain but that coping resources contributed to moderating the relationship. Other significant stress-strain relationships were also moderated by the coping mechanisms. Low levels of cognitive/rational were more effective than high levels as a coping resource, counter to expectations.

Gender Differences in Career Decision Making: The Content and Structure of Preferences.

To identify possible sources of the observed differences in the career choices of women and men, three facets of career preferences were examined: the relative importance attributed to career-related aspects, the within-aspect preferences (i.e., desirable characteristics of occupations), and the structure of aspects derived from these within-aspect preferences. The career-related preferences of 2,000 young adults who were in the process of making their career decisions were analyzed. These career-related preferences were elicited during their dialogues with a computer-assisted career guidance system. The analyses revealed (a) only small gender differences in the relative importance of the aspects, (b) considerable gender differences in the within-aspect preferences, and (c) certain gender differences in the structure of aspects. The findings and their possible theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Task-Specific Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale: The Development and Validation of a Prototype.

Abstract Using the work groups listed under Selected Characteristics of Occupations defined in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (U.S. Employment Service 1981), two forms (A and B) of a 230 item task-specific occupational self-efficacy scale (TSOSS, Osipow & Rooney, 1989 ) were compiled. Results were compared with responses to the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale (OSES) ( Betz and Hackett, 1981 ), used as a general self-efficacy measure. Responses were obtained from 201 students (126 females and 75 males) in psychology ( n = 113) and journalism ( n = 88) classes at a large midwestern university. A number of analyses related to the psychometric characteristics of the proposed instrument were performed. Results supported the feasibility and utility of a task-specific measure of occupational self-efficacy and confirmed both theory and previous research.

The Use of the Career Decision Scale in Career Assessment

The history, development, and empirical foundations of the Career Decision Scale (CDS; Osipow, Carney, Winer, Yanico, & Koschier, 1976; 1987) are reviewed and summarized. The major research findings using the instrument are examined, along with its various uses in program planning, practice with special populations, and theory. Issues related to the instruments use with women and men are briefly discussed, as are the cross-cultural applications of the measure. Finally, the controversy regarding the factor structure of the scale is reviewed.