Differential effects of individual and group counseling on realism of vocational choice.

Surveyed 297 11th- and 12th-grade boys about their vocational plans. A dossier for each student was compiled, and 3 experienced secondary school counselors rated the realism of the vocational choices. The 30 most extreme overshooters and the 30 most extreme undershooters served as the experimental group. 2 experienced high school counselors each counseled 5 undershooters and 5 overshooters individually and another 5 undershooters and 5 overshooters in groups. Following the counseling, vocational choices were again elicited and realism of choice rated. In spite of no significant differences between those counseled and the controls, data indicate that the overshooters who were counseled in a group setting and the undershooters who were individually counseled became more realistic in their vocational choices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-esteem, self-consistency, and second vocational choice.

Hypothesized that (a) persons high in self-esteem make 2nd vocational choices that are consistent with their personality styles more often than those that are inconsistent, and (b) persons low in self-esteem make 2nd choices that are consistent about as often as they make choices that are inconsistent. In a test with 135 undergraduates using the Vocational Preference Inventory, both hypotheses were supported. Implications were drawn for counseling with persons whose preferred career choices were inappropriate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential effects of three vocational counseling treatments.

Compared 3 treatments which included 2 self-administering counseling modes, Holland's Self-Directed Search (SDS), a modification of the SDS entitled Individual Vocational Planning (IVP), and traditional vocational counseling. 113 undergraduates seeking counseling at a college counseling center were randomly assigned to 1 of the 3 treatment or control groups. Pre- and posttest scores were obtained on frequency and variety of vocational information seeking, satisfaction with treatment, and other measures. In addition, differential costs of providing the treatments were examined. Results indicate that all treatments were about equally effective as measured and the college users appeared equally satisfied with them. Cost analysis indicated that the traditional counseling treatment cost 6 times more per S than SDS and 4 times more than the IVP. Low delivery cost and comparable effectiveness provide evidence for the self-administrable treatment modes as additional alternatives to traditional methods. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A multigroup evaluation of the models and functions of university counseling centers.

The appropriateness of 4 counseling center models (traditional, consultation, vocational guidance, and psychotherapy) and 15 specific counseling center functions for universities with enrollments of 10,000-plus were evaluated by 28 counselors, 16 student personnel administrators, 84 resident assistants, faculty, 187 students, and 21 university administrators. Ss were drawn from a large public university in the East. The traditional model was evaluated most positively by 5 of the subgroups. The most salient findings were (a) in both the models and functions phases of the study, student personnel subgroups rated consultation-related activities as appreciably more appropriate, both in a relative and absolute sense, than did nonstudent personnel subgroups; (b) while the psychotherapy model consistently received the lowest ratings, certain types of personal adjustment counseling received consistently positive ratings; (c) educational-vocational counseling was seen as highly appropriate by all groups, but counselors and student personnel administrators did not feel enough of it was being done, a finding consistent with earlier research. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of the self-directed search on high school students.

Compared the effects on 959 high school students of the Self-Directed Search (SDS), a self-administered vocational counseling simulation; the Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI); and no treatment. Students taking the SDS or the VPI evaluated the instruments as moderately positive, reported feeling more satisfied with their current occupational choice, and were considering more occupational alternatives than the control group both the day after the experiment and 3 wks later. Students taking the SDS selected occupations most consistent with their personality traits and reported less need to see a counselor immediately. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of experimental group guidance and individual counseling as facilitators of vocational development.

Compared the effects of 3 treatment procedures on 36 male and 30 female undergraduates' vocational development: (a) experimental guidance-Ss participated in a 5-wk vocational guidance program; (b) individual counseling-Ss received individual counseling; and (c) control-Ss received no treatment. Evaluation was based on measured vocational development and on S assessment of assistance received using multiple linear regression techniques. The experimental treatment was more effective in increasing vocational development than either the individual counseling or control treatments, and individual counseling was more effective than the control treatment. No differences were found among groups in regard to individual counselors, sex of students, or student counseling assessments. (28 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Help seeking and problem perception among Asian Americans.

Compared the presenting concerns of 3,050 counseling center clients (undergraduate and graduate students) as those concerns varied by ethnicity, gender, and previous counseling experience. Asian-American clients were much more likely to perceive themselves as having educational or vocational concerns, whereas White clients were disproportionately more likely to admit to personal or emotional concerns. The comparison among 7 different Asian-American groups revealed that Filipino-American and Asian-American/White mixed clients were more likely to endorse personal or emotional concerns than other Asian-American groups. Gender and previous counseling experience were found to be related to the presenting concern, but the effects were the same in each ethnic comparison. Results are interpreted with respect to (1) what counselors should be aware of in interacting with Asian-American clients and (2) how they differ both from White clients and among themselves. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of nondirective questioning on women's decisions whether to undergo bone density screening: An experimental study.

This study investigated the effects of nondirective counseling on health screening decisions. Ninety women (mean age?=?51 years) received information about bone density screening and osteoporosis. They were then randomly allocated to 1 of 4 groups and were encouraged to focus on positive issues about bone density screening (positive group), on negative issues (negative group), on both positive and negative issues (all-focusing group), or on issues relating to the common cold (control group). Women were asked to rate how likely they would be to opt for bone density screening if they saw it available. After being informed that they could have bone density screening, actual uptake was assessed. It was found that the issues on which individuals focused significantly influenced their rate likelihood of opting for the scan. Rated likelihood of testing was significantly associated with whether individuals actually did opt for testing when it was subsequently offered to them. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health professionals' attitudes toward physically handicapped groups in attributionally ambiguous and nonambiguous situations.

44 graduate students in a vocational rehabilitation counseling program were asked to rate 6 client groups on the Personal Attribute Inventory and to rank these same groups in the order they would prefer to work with each group. Three of the groups were physically handicapped and 3 were not physically handicapped. Ss chose significantly more positive adjectives to describe the physically handicapped groups. However, they preferred to work with the nonhandicapped groups. Results support the contention that ambivalence toward physically handicapped persons extends beyond the social milieu and perhaps affects the vocational rehabilitation process. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multiple outcome evaluation of a life-career development course.

Examined the multiple effects of a life-career development course on 74 university students. The treatment was based on a comprehensive counseling model of "change agent career decision making." A modification of D. T. Campbell and J. C. Stanley's (1963) institutional cycle design and MANOVA was used for evaluating Ss' performance on 8 career inventories. The Ss were significantly more rational and less intuitive and dependent in their decision-making styles, more certain of their major and career choices, and more crystallized in their vocational self-concept. They also collected more career information and had fewer vocational identity problems as a result of the course. Inconsistent results were found with regard to the external locus of control and overcoming career barriers measures. The treatment did not seem to have an immediate impact on internal locus of control. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expressed vocational choice and vocational indecision.

Equally divided 232 male and female college students into 4 groups based on their responses to the Occupational Alternatives Question. Groups were composed of Ss who had a 1st choice and no alternatives, a 1st choice plus alternatives, no 1st choice but alternatives, and neither a 1st choice nor alternatives. The hypothesis tested was that these groups would differ on dependent variables related to vocational decision making. No significant differences were found on socioeconomic status or on J. L. Holland's constructs of consistency, differentiation, or congruence with career choice. Significant group differences were found on congruence with college major, total number of Vocational Preference Inventory responses, and scales measuring satisfaction with college major and career choice. Significant differences were also found on 2 recent scales measuring vocational indecision; the Vocational Decision Making Difficulty Scale and the Career Decision Scale. Significant sex differences indicate that females were more congruent and satisfied with their college majors. Implications of the results for future research and vocational counseling are examined. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of three methods of group vocational counseling.

Superimposed a group discussion process over a typical vocational counseling process in which the primary focus was on test information, and over 2 atypical vocational counseling processes, one in which occupational information was primary and the other in which test information and occupational information were optional and randomly presented upon a group member's request. All Ss selected goals in the initial stages of counseling. 57 undergraduates were studied in 6 single-sex experimental groups and 2 control groups. Data from a levels-of-decision-making scale, the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule, and the Kuder Occupational Preference Inventory show that the atypical groups learned significantly more and retained longer than did both the typical and control groups. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

What are we teaching about lifting and transferring patients?

Parents' perceptions of how they were told that their child has special needs were examined. Thirty-nine families on the Isle of Wight completed a structured interview. Participants formed two groups. The first group comprised of 23 families who had a child aged from birth to 5 years with special needs. In the second group there were 16 families who had a child aged between 15 and 20 years with special needs. Parents were asked about their perceptions of how their child's special needs were disclosed, their satisfaction with how they were told and what improvements they would have liked. Differences between the two cohorts were examined, and changes in how services were perceived were investigated. Overall, parents in the group with younger children were more satisfied about the way in which they were told that their child had special needs than those with older children. Implications for service delivery and future research are considered.     

Counselor reactions to female clients: Type of problem, age of client, and sex of counselor.

88 male and female graduate students in counseling, staff of a university counseling center, and faculty in counseling and clinical psychology viewed videotaped vignettes of 2 35-yr-old women and 2 20-yr-old women who portrayed problems about feared rape, existential anxiety, choice of a college major in social work, or choice of a college major in engineering. Results indicate that the 2 personal-social problems were rated as more serious than the vocational problems on all dependent measures. Additionally, the feared-rape problem was considered the most serious and needing the most counseling sessions, whereas the women with existential anxiety received the most empathy and were perceived as being most able to profit from counseling. The 2 vocational problems did not differ on any of the dependent variables. Other results indicate effects for both client age and counselor sex depending on the particular problem. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Student and faculty perceptions of counseling centers: What's in a name?

Surveyed 296 university students and 115 faculty members by telephone and asked them to rank order 4 counseling center titles in terms of the likelihood that they would utilize services offered by the centers. The titles were Psychological and Career Exploration Service; Personal and Career Counseling Service; Psychological and Career Counseling Service; and Counseling, Career, and Consultation Service. Ss were also asked to indicate whether they had ever used or referred students to the university counseling service and how important the title of the agency was to them in deciding to use its services. Results indicate that the counseling center title was important to students and faculty in determining their use of a counseling center; both groups preferred the 1st title. The discussion focuses on the extent to which the present findings are consistent with and broaden understanding of help-seeking behavior and on implications for representing counseling center services. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Patient-oriented interventions to improve communication in a medical office visit.

Examined an intervention to improve the patient's contribution to communication in a medical office visit. In Study 1, 53 women awaiting a medical appointment were assigned either to a group that was asked to list 3 questions to ask their physician or to a control group. Ss who listed questions asked more questions in the visit and reported being less anxious. In Study 2, with 49 women, a 3rd group received a message from their physician encouraging question asking. Both experimental groups asked more of the questions they had wished to, had greater feelings of control, and were more satisfied with the visit and with the information they received. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Concurrent validity of the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory for graduate students in counseling.

Examined the vocational interests of 114 graduate counseling psychology trainees and the concurrent validity of the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII) for this group. Ss were administered the SCII, and a subgroup of 43 Ss completed a questionnaire assessing satisfaction with their graduate program, interests in various types of coursework, and preferences for future professional employment. Results generally support the concurrent validity of the SCII in a group of counseling trainees but also indicate differences in the ordering of SCII Holland themes in this group vs psychologists in general. Relationships between certain SCII scores and Ss' preferences concerning coursework and future employment were found. Implications of the findings for both the training and the employment of counseling psychology trainees are discussed. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Men and women in optometry. II. Attitudes toward career and family

BACKGROUND: Optometry has experienced a dramatic upward shift in the percentage of women entering the profession during the past 20 years. Our survey assessed the mechanisms for sustaining balance in professional and personal roles used by women optometrists and how these mechanisms may differ from those of their male colleagues. METHODS: A survey questionnaire was mailed to a large nationwide random sample of optometrists, composed of equal numbers of men and women. RESULTS: Data were analyzed from 353 men and 358 women; margin of error was +4%. Most of the respondents indicated they derived personal satisfaction from their career. A majority of both groups did not indicate that lack of time for their career was a source of frustration. However, significantly more women than men indicated some frustration in pursuing those activities that lead to career advancement. There were significant differences in response patterns of men and women about the effect of family, child care, and household work on their careers. CONCLUSIONS: Both men and women optometrists are satisfied with their careers and neither group feels compelled to choose between career and family. Optometrists do not fit into one pattern, but instead make individualized career choices on the basis of needs.     

Personality correlates of vocational counseling outcome.

Investigated the relationship between scores on the Adjective Check List (ACL), Educational Interest Inventory (EII), and the Vocational Decision-Making Checklist (VDMC) and several vocational counseling outcome measures. 60 male undergraduates unsure about their choice of major received either model-reinforcement counseling, traditional counseling, or no counseling. Correlations between the ACL and EII scores, change in pre- and postcounseling certainty of major, and change in VDMC scores were analyzed. Results suggest that personality factors are related to progress in vocational counseling. The improving client, in general, appears to be outgoing, self-confident, and to have a tendency to be controlling. Data also suggest that change as a result of the traditional, more nondirective counseling may require more self-confidence and a greater ability to assert oneself in interpersonal situations than is necessary with a behavioral counseling approach. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The clinician as an aberrant actuary: Illusory correlation and the incomplete sentences blank.

20 graduate students in clinical psychology, 20 graduate students in nonclinical areas of psychology, and 20 undergraduates observed 5 completed sentences paired equally frequently with each of 5 statements purporting to describe the major problem of the patient who had completed the paired sentence. All groups reported illusory correlations with paralleled relationships generated by a group of experienced clinical psychologists. The groups differed with regard to the degree of confidence which they displayed in their erroneous choices. The undergraduate group indicated that they were "sure" and "guessing" more often than the other groups. Reasons for the differential use of confidence categories by the 3 groups are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)