Career patterns in counseling centers: Counseling psychologists review their past, present, and future.

Surveyed 381 psychologists working in college or university counseling centers to gain insight into career patterns of counseling center psychologists. Included were reasons for seeking, staying with, or leaving a particular position; satisfaction with past and current work activities; and future career planning. An analysis of the survey responses led to identification of distinct career patterns for counseling center psychologists as well as unique drawbacks and advantages associated with counseling center work, including flexibility of job functions, the opportunity to work with students in an academic setting and the low pay scale. Results suggest that the college counseling center is a satisfying employment setting characterized by early entry and a minimal number of job changes over the span of a career. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Serendipity is not serendipitous.

Serendipitous events have been shown to affect the careers of prominent counseling psychologists. Why should this seem surprising? Unplanned events affect everyone's career. The surprise is due to the widespread but unfounded assumption that career decisions should be the logical outcome of a "true reasoning" process. Counseling psychologists need to (a) broaden their view so that the reluctance to make an occupational commitment in the face of unpredictable future events can be celebrated as open-mindedness, not denigrated as indecisiveness, (b) teach clients that unplanned events are a normal and expected part of the career development process, and (c) teach clients how to generate unplanned events that contribute to a more satisfying life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Becoming a consultant: The real stories.

This article uses interview responses given by leaders and early career consulting psychologists to understand the similarities and contrasts between beginning a consulting career a generation ago and today. It also explores the progression of leaders' careers in order to understand the events and experiences that launched their careers. Broad themes in the interview data are identified to answer the following questions: (a) Why do psychologists become interested in consultation ? (b) What developmental process prepared them to become consultants? (c) What critical incidents shaped their careers? (d) What were their most valuable preparation experiences? (e) What skill or experience do they wish they had had or will they need? and (f) Why should psychologists consider consulting psychology as a career? Suggestions for changes in the way consulting psychologists are trained are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contemporary counseling psychology: Results of a national survey.

Conducted a national survey of counseling psychologists to examine counseling psychology in its current state of development. A 6-page questionnaire, which examined such variables as demographics, professional activities, institutional affiliations, and training satisfaction, was mailed to 980 members of Division 17 (Counseling) of the American Psychological Association (APA). Of these, 716 (73%) usable questionnaires were returned. Counseling psychologists (aged 29–84 yrs) were found (a) to spend the majority of their professional time providing individual psychotherapy, (b) to be primarily eclectic in theoretical orientation, (c) to be increasingly identified with the work setting of private practice, and (d) to be generally satisfied with their graduate and internship training. Additional information about counseling psychologists' professional self-views, research and publication efforts, career satisfaction, and satisfaction with the APA was also obtained. Findings are discussed in relation to the present and future of counseling psychology. (60 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Formalized psychological services in state education programs.

In recent years "state regulations have played a major part in determining the nature of local school requirements" for psychologists. States having formally legislated provisions for school psychologists, states formally recognizing qualifications of school psychologists, professional training requirements for different levels of persons rendering psychological service in schools, and required supervised practicum or internship experience are discussed. The certification of school psychologists as teachers, the renewal of certification of school psychologists, the kinds of psychological services provided or used, the apparent absence of a sensitivity to a need for school psychological services, and the various titles by which psychologists are designated in school law or official statements are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training of Psychologists.

Suggests that psychologists concerned about the training of psychologists generate some testable hypotheses about the effects of different kinds of training, match or otherwise control variation in graduate departments at student and staff levels, and start treating each graduate school as the experimental group it should be in the field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factors, correlates, and problem areas affecting career decision making of a cross-sectional sample of students.

Examined the self-reported impact of 6 general factors affecting career decision making and specifically tested the validity of the Career Factor Checklist (CFC) developed from a model of the lst author et al (1978). 1,436 high school, undergraduate, and graduate students completed the CFC and reported the degree to which 6 general factors and 22 subfactors affected their career decision making. Results show that the CFC measured the 6 general career factors identified by the model. A significant grade main effect and Sex?×?Grade interactions were found for 4 of the 6 factors assessed. Implications are discussed for individual counseling and for preventive programming around the correlates in career decision making. (38 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multivariate analysis of male and female professional career choice correlates.

Personality, aptitude, achievement, and social-demographic characteristics of graduate students in 4 professional degree programs were investigated in a comparative multivariate analysis of the correlates of professional career choice. 173 male and 175 female 1st-yr graduate students in 2 traditionally male fields (law and management) and 2 traditionally female fields (education and social work) completed an extensive questionnaire. Results confirmed the central hypothesis of the study: Differences across careers for each variable were greater than differences between the sexes within careers. In contrast to previous findings, no significant sex differences were found in assertiveness, locus of control, or Machiavellianism. Sex differences were primarily confined to the variables relating to psychological masculinity–femininity and sex role attitudes. The limitations of the current design are noted, and it is stressed that these findings are correlational in nature. Preexisting dispositions and attitudes may be the best predictors of professional career choice, although it is equally possible that these attitudes and attributes are adopted after people have made their career choices (i.e., during graduate school). (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preparing psychologists for evidence-based school practice: Lessons learned and challenges ahead.

The evidence-based practice (EBP) movement has the potential to significantly advance the quality of psychological and educational services provided by psychologists working in schools. Training psychologists in EBP has challenged the profession and caused faculty in graduate programs to reevaluate and retool professional training curricula and instructional practices. Four domains of challenges in graduate training are identified: (a) integrating the EBP knowledge base into the curriculum, (b) expanding models of research training, (c) expanding training in prevention science, and (d) expanding training in problem-solving consultation and school contextual issues. For each of these, the author discusses the range and scope of the challenge and possible solutions for advancing graduate training in psychology relevant to school practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Testing practices in university and college counseling centers in the United States.

The frequency and scope of psychological test usage in a counseling psychology setting were studied by sending questionnaires to 372 college and university counseling center directors. The 284 usable responses indicated usage of a total of 158 tests; 35 were mentioned by 10% or more of the respondents. The median number of tests mentioned by a center was 14. The 3 most frequently used types of tests were career counseling, led by the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory; personality assessment, led by the MMPI; and mental abilities and aptitude tests (e.g., the WAIS and Differential Aptitude Tests). Differences between these results and those of earlier surveys in clinical settings are discussed. The present respondents reported that counseling psychologists in their centers use career assessment instruments more frequently and projective personality instruments less frequently than do the clinicians. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Extend careers at both ends?

Suggests that psychologists could lengthen their careers by completing professional training earlier and finding distinctive services they could render after usual retirement age. Early beginning of professional career is associated with success in the career. Further, retired psychologists might be valuable in work with elderly adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

College counseling center internships: Are APA-approved sites selecting candidates from non-APA-approved training programs?

The necessity of serving a year-long internship has become an important issue in the training of counseling psychologists. This is especially true for anyone who might be interested in obtaining employment in a college or university counseling center. This particular issue has serious implications for prospective interns who are being trained in non-APA-approved counseling psychology programs who wish to be employed in college and university counseling centers. Currently, there are 25 centers that have active counseling psychology internship training programs, and although only half of them are APA-approved now, the majority of them will be in the near future (Dorn, 1984). If nothing else, they will be facing a restrictive environment when it comes to the development of their professional careers as well as in obtaining an internship in a setting that will be more positively regarded by prospective counseling center employers. In an effort to fully clarify the issue of whether APA-approved counseling psychology internship sites in college and university counseling centers are selecting candidates from non-APA-approved counseling psychology training sites, a brief questionnaire was mailed to each individual who was serving an internship in one of the 13 fully or provisionally APA-approved college and university counseling center sites (APA, 1981) during the 1981-1982 academic year. The results of this survey indicate that although the majority of counseling psychology interns selected by these sites are from APA-approved training programs, intern applicants from non-APA-approved training programs do have an opportunity to serve an APA-approved internship in one of these sites. These results should not be interpreted optimistically, however. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Addressing disparities: Consultation and outreach strategies for university settings.

This article explores consultation and outreach within a counseling center setting, analyzing its usefulness for identifying and addressing systemic barriers in college settings to learning and development. An outline for counseling center consultation and a case study are provided, demonstrating how counseling psychologists can help to create a more equitable and comfortable workplace and learning environment for faculty and students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Does vocational overshadowing even exist? A test of the robustness of the vocational overshadowing bias.

Vocational overshadowing (P. M. Spengler, D. L. Blustein, & D. C. Strohmer, 1990 ) is a hypothesized underemphasis of clients' career concerns when more interesting, prestigious, or economically rewarding "personal" problems coexist. This study tested the robustness of the vocational overshadowing bias by using an expanded array of case material, by including practicing counseling psychologists (n?=?125) and clinical psychologists (n?=?121), and by assessing the moderating effects of clinician information processing and attitudinal characteristics. Clinical psychologists were more likely than counseling psychologists to underemphasize vocational concerns combined with severe noncareer problems. More complex thinking about career counseling and higher preference for working with career problems were associated with greater attention to clients' career concerns. However, no clear evidence was found for the vocational overshadowing bias by either equal or less severe noncareer problems. Implications of these findings for career counseling and clinical judgment research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An investigation of early research experience and research self-efficacy.

Graduate students in psychology typically report that they either love research or hate research. Despite the fact that most doctoral students in psychology enter some type of clinical practice upon graduation, research is a requirement for all students enrolled in scientist-practitioner programs regardless of their career aspirations beyond graduation. Research advances knowledge in the field of psychology and often guides clinical practice, yet very few psychologists conduct research after graduate school (C. J. Gelso, 1993). Efforts have been undertaken to determine factors that contribute to graduate students' research productivity. One such factor may be research self-efficacy. This study examined the influence of early research experience as a factor to bolster research self-efficacy. Results indicated that supportive peers and mentors contributed to positive research experiences. Additionally, positive team research experiences significantly predicted research self-efficacy. Implications for training programs and students are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The experimental psychologist in a depressed academic market: Learning about applied psychology.

In an increasingly difficult academic job market, graduates of traditional experimental psychology programs must begin to consider careers in nonacademic settings. Since many of these postgraduates have little information about career possibilities in applied fields and have had few opportunities for contact with successful applied psychologists, the prospect of a nonacademic job is frequently viewed with frustration or apprehension. An approach to this problem is described that has informed experimental psychology students about specific jobs in applied psychology and provided a significant means of communication among academic-based psychologists, students, and psychologists employed in nonacademic settings. (1 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychologists in management: The unseen career path in psychology.

Discusses the extent to which management has evolved into a viable career option for psychologists and current problems in other professional practice areas, including decreased funding, restricted career advancement, and increased regulation. The 1982 American Psychological Association Human Resources Survey indicates that 21.2% of the respondents were employed in management, and recommendations concerning careers in management are presented. An overview of the articles in this special issue of Professional Psychology: Research and Practice is also provided. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influences on the career choice of psychotherapists.

Motivations and experiences relevant to the career choices of 56 clinical psychologists practicing psychotherapy were assessed and compared with those from a sample of 53 social psychologists. Clinical psychologists were more likely than social psychologists to have been influenced in their career selections by (a) experiences of psychological distress in themselves and in their families of origin, (b) desires to resolve personal problems, and (c) a wish to pursue opportunities for vocational achievement and professional advancement. However, most respondents did not view problematic histories as central to their choice of career, and the magnitude of difference between the two groups of professionals was small. Results illuminate reasons why individuals choose careers as psychotherapists. Implications for the training of therapists are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)