Self-administration and scoring errors of learning disabled and non learning disabled students on two forms of the self-directed search.

Examined the number and type of errors in self-administration and scoring made on Holland's Self-Directed Search (SDS) and Self-Directed Search—Form Easy (SDS—E) by 96 learning disabled and 96 nonlearning disabled high school students matched on socioeconomic status (SES), sex, and ethnicity. Both groups of Ss made more errors on the SDS than on the SDS—E. However, for errors resulting in inaccurate high-point codes, the learning disabled group made more errors on the SDS than on the SDS—E. There was no difference for nonlearning disabled Ss. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reliability of Holland codes across interest measures for adult females.

Derived 8 3-letter codes representing J. L. Holland's (1973) personality types from 3 inventories: the Self-Directed Search, the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (3 types of scales), and the Kuder Occupational Interest Survey (4 types of scales) for each of 52 adult women. Comparisons between codes derived from these sources revealed that agreement between any 2 sources of codes was varied. Some pairs agreed to the extent that the 3 letters of the codes were the same although not in the same order; others agreed to the extent that the 1st 2 letters matched 2 from the other. Findings support Holland's injunction to consider all codes that may be derived from the 3 highest ranking types rather than to limit consideration to occupations related to the code in only the order produced by the instrument. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Does the Holland code predict job satisfaction and productivity in clothing factory workers?

Sewing machine operators (N?=?318) in three clothing factories located in the rural South were administered the Self-Directed Search (Form E) to determine Holland code, and their work productivity, job satisfaction, absenteeism, and insurance claims were assessed. Results suggested that although this work environment is typified by Holland (1977) as a conventional-realistic environment, the preponderance of workers were of the social code. Job satisfaction was predicted by code on one satisfaction measure (p?p?p?     

Use of the Self-Directed Search with Native American high school students.

Examined the appropriateness of using the Self-Directed Search (SDS) with 104 Native American Indian high school students. Inventory scores from 2 Indian tribes were compared, and then comparisons were made with national normative data. Ss differed among themselves on 4 of the 12 scale comparisons, and there were 6 differences on the 24 scale comparisons with the normative groups. It is concluded that the SDS may be an inappropriate instrument for use with Native American high school students unless local norms are also considered. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of error rates on the original Self-Directed Search and the 1977 revision.

Determined whether the new scoring system on the revised Self-Directed Search (SDS; J. L. Holland, 1977) is an improvement over the original edition. It was hypothesized that the revised scoring system would lead to fewer errors than the previous one, since the new system appears to be more direct and to involve fewer transformations of subscale scores by the user. Results of a z test using incoming college freshmen data show that the error rate in the summary code for the revised edition of the SDS was significantly lower than the error rate for the original SDS, but no differences were found between the 2 forms with respect to high-point-code error rates. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship of Holland's personality types to educational satisfaction with a Native-American high school population.

We examined the relation of Holland's personality typologies and satisfaction with education, using a sample of 596 Native-American high school students enrolled in eight schools in Manitoba, Canada. We used the Self-Directed Search to determine personality typologies and the Teacher Approval and Education Acceptance scales of the Survey of Study Habits and Attitudes to measure educational satisfaction. Results of analysis of variance showed that students with an Investigative or Social personality type code had significantly higher scores on educational satisfaction than students with a Realistic type code. These results are in the direction hypothesized by Holland and provide support for the generalizability of this hypothesis to a Native-American high school population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Student-college congruency as a predictor of satisfaction.

Tested hypotheses about person-environment congruency, consistency, and differentiation from J. L. Holland's (1973) theory of careers. Ss were 1,878 undergraduates from 1 college and 1 university who had been given the Self-Directed Search before their freshman year followed by a satisfaction questionnaire 1 or 3 yrs later. 2 analyses were conducted. The 1st was a 3-factor multiple analysis of variance with school, sex, and congruency level as the independent variables. The 2nd was a 4-factor multiple analysis of variance with school, sex, consistency, and differentiation as independent variables. 3 college satisfaction measures were the dependent variables. Statistically significant main effects (p     

Career development status as a predictor of career intervention outcomes.

Relates career status measures (the Career Decision Scale, the Vocational Identity Scale, and the Career Maturity Inventory), goals for participating in career intervention, and ego strength (Barron Ego-Strength Scale) to 6 outcomes of the administration of the Self-Directed Search (SDS). Outcomes include satisfaction with the SDS, satisfaction with posttest career choice, congruence of expressed and measured interests, and 3 self-reported behavioral indices. 48 male and 64 female undergraduates served as Ss. Stepwise regressions indicated that outcomes for males could not be predicted as effectively as those for females. The Career Decision Scale, the Vocational Identity Scale, and ratings on the goal of obtaining training information were the best predictors. Most change occurred for females high on vocational identity; most satisfaction with the SDS and job choice was attained by those low in indecision on the Career Decision Scale. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Vocational choices of men and women: A comparison of predictors from the Self-Directed Search.

Examined several predictors of occupational choice derived from J. L. Holland's 1973 theory of careers. Hypotheses that a person's competencies, activities, self-estimates, interests, and vocational choices can be organized by a 6-category typology to understand and predict subsequent choice were tested. 894 men and 989 women took the Self-Directed Search at entry into 2 colleges and reported their occupational choices 1 or 3 yrs later. All hypotheses received support, although the predictive efficiency varied. Current vocational choice was the best predictor of later choice and scores based on sex-specific norms were less efficient predictors than raw scores. Findings support both the theory and the validity of the Self-Directed Search assessment for men and women. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The stimulus value, treatment effects, and sex differences when completing the Self-Directed Search and Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory.

Assessed men's and women's immediate reactions to completing the Self-Directed Search (SDS) and the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII) and the impact of this testing on their subsequent behaviors 1 mo later. A random sample of 96 college freshmen completed either the SDS, SCII, or both instruments. Results indicate that (a) the SDS had significantly more perceived stimulus value than the SCII alone or the SCII and SDS combined, immediately after testing; (b) the SCII was perceived to have greater clarity of directions than the SDS; (c) there were no significant differences between groups on responses to testing or certainty about career planning; and (d) no sex differences between men and women on their immediate reactions to testing were found. A 1-mo follow-up of the Ss indicated that there were no significant sex or treatment differences between groups in satisfaction with career planning, clarity and certainty of ideas about career planning, and time spent thinking about career planning process. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Status of Holland's Investigative personality types and their consistency levels seven years later.

Assessed the predictability of J. L. Holland's Investigative personality type and the 3 consistency levels over a 7-yr period. A sample of 95 male Investigative Ss who completed the Self-Directed Search (SDS) as college freshmen in 1970 were sent a questionnaire 7 yrs later. The questionnaire gathered information about the Ss' educational and occupational situations including present occupation, educational status, ideal career choice, and projected career in 1982. Hypotheses concerned the predictability over a 7-yr period of (a) 1-, 2-, and 3-letter SDS codes and most recent daydream codes and (b) Holland's sign of consistency. Results indicate that for Investigative-type males, the SDS had moderately high efficiency in predicting, 7 yrs later, actual job entry, graduate major, and ideal and projected career plans. The differential predictability of Holland's 3 consistency levels was supported in 21 of the 24 tests applied. Future research is recommended on the predictiveness of other personality types and Holland's diagnostic schema. Implications for counseling and future research are indicated. (40 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Vocational Interests (The Self-Directed Search) of Female Carpenters.

In this national sample of female carpenters (N=411) who began their apprenticeship with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters during the 1990s in the United States, the author provides a profile of female carpenters' vocational interests (The Self-Directed Search). The vocational interests of 137 male carpenters also were gathered for comparison. The results indicate that the vocational interests of female and male carpenters are dominated by Realistic interests. These outcomes are supported by earlier work with the Strong Interest Inventory. The author suggests that test construction and sampling play a role in the controversy about gender bias in interest inventories. (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)     

On the virtues of raw-scored interest inventories: Reaction to O'Neil, Price, and Tracey (1979).

J. M. O'Neil et al (see record 1979-27466-001) compared career-related outcomes following administration of the raw-scored Self-Directed Search (SDS), the "norm-scored" Strong-Campbell (SCII), and the 2 instruments in combination. The study was intended to address issues of sex bias in vocational-interest assessment. Ss who took the SDS were provided with the usual self-directed administration, scoring, and interpretation of raw scores. However, it is pointed out here that Ss in the SCII and SDS-SCII treatment groups received no SCII norm-based scores or interpretations. As discussed in this article, the principal conclusions in the earlier report regarding the relative effects and sex restrictiveness of "norm-scored instruments" and "raw-scored instruments" are not warranted by the study design. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prediction of scientist-practitioner behavior using personality scores obtained during graduate school.

Investigated the usefulness of personality measures obtained during graduate training in predicting the scientist–practitioner behavior of counseling psychologists. Personality scale scores on the Self-Directed Search, Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (General Occupational Theme scores), Minnesota Importance Questionnaire, Omnibus Personality Inventory, Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, and MMPI obtained during students' 1st semester of graduate study were used as predictors. Scientist–practitioner orientation scores calculated for participants reflected their scientist–practitioner interests, preferred job, and publication record. Only scores on the Independence scale of the Minnesota Importance Questionnaire and on the Social Extraversion scale of the Omnibus Personality Inventory were statistically significant predictors of actual scientist–practitioner orientation. (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)     

Testing the validity of some theoretical signs of vocational decision-making ability.

Examined the validity of some theoretically derived vocational diagnostic signs to learn whether a person's self-knowledge, occupational knowledge, and decision making ability were predictable. 1,005 high school juniors, 692 college juniors, and 140 employed adults were administered the Self-Directed Search (SDS, the source of the diagnostic signs) and the criteria for validating the signs (the Career Maturity Inventory, a decision making task, questionnaire items about vocational choice, and scales measuring identity, anomy, originality, and interpersonal competency). The theoretical signs of good decision making ability (consistency and differentiation of the SDS profiles) predicted scores on the decision making task more efficiently than any rival predictors. In contrast, the theoretical signs of self-knowledge and occupational knowledge did not show convergent or discriminant validity. The positive results imply some practical applications and the need for further theoretical investigation. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Concurrent prediction from the Strong Vocational Interest Blank.

Compared the concurrent predictive accuracy of the Strong Vocational Interest Blank for Men (SVIB), Form T-399, for the same Ss (N = 163) on 3 sets of scales developed for the SVIB to reflect J. L. Holland's occupational-personality types: the SVIB-Holland scales, the Basic Interest scales, and the Occupational scales. Data are reported to provide comparison between the SVIB-Holland scales and Holland's Self-Directed Search with different Ss, between the Basic Interest scales and Occupational scales for the same Ss, between the criteria of single highest scale and scores above a cutoff, and between the 3 types of scales. When cutoff scores were used, the SVIB-Holland scales and the Basic Interest scales predicted occupation held for some 60% of these Ss; about 1/3 of these accurate predictions were considered to be attributable to chance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Does the Vocational Exploration and Insight Kit equal the sum of its parts? A comparison study.

This study compared the effects of a new vocational intervention, the Vocational Exploration and Insight Kit (VEIK), with those of the Self-Directed Search (SDS) and the Vocational Card Sort (VCS). Ss were 103 female undergraduates. Effects of the 3 procedures were measured by a Career Alternatives and Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Vocational Exploration Behavior Checklist, and the Feedback Sheet. The SDS, VCS, and VEIK had small and similar effects on Ss' vocational behavior. Findings lend support to counselor-free techniques as appropriate and inexpensive methods of career exploration. The use of certain criteria for outcome studies of vocational interventions is also discussed. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reply to Prediger.

Responds to D. J. Prediger's (see record 1980-20237-001) criticism of the comparison by the present author et al (see record 1979-27466-001) of the Self-Directed Search (raw-scored), Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (norm-scored), and a combination of the 2 measures. Additional research is reported to guide future study of the impact of interest inventories. (2 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)