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This dissertation is a report on research into the development and evaluation of a career assessment and counselling procedure that falls under the aegis of the constructivist, narrative approach: My Career Chapter: A Dialogical Autobiography. My Career Chapter enables an individual to construct a holistic understanding of his or her career. The procedure facilitates an individual writing and reflecting on an autobiographical account of his or her career that is contextualised amidst systems of career influences. The resulting autobiographical text can be used in career counselling, including co-constructive dialogue between client and counsellor. The literature underpinning the research project is described with a wide-ranging discussion of issues that critically pertain to the research endeavour and essentially provide a primary base for the work. Two theoretical frameworks that exemplify constructivism in vocational psychology underpin the research: the Systems Theory Framework and the Theory of Career Construction. From the base of those two theoretical frameworks, narrative career counselling is explicated and exemplars are described. The Theory of Dialogical Self is introduced to inform the design of My Career Chapter and, ultimately, the theory and practice of narrative career counselling. The research is predominantly positioned within a paradigm of constructivism/interpretivism and the results of the studies are collectively interpreted accordingly; but postpositivism and critical ideological paradigms are present in a secondary form due to the mixture of research methods used in the project as a whole. Six empirical studies investigate the experience of My Career Chapter from the perspective of the developer, the counsellor-user, and the client-user; each explicated with two studies respectively. Research methods include autoethnography for the developer's experience, interpretative phenomenological analysis and focus group for the counsellor-users' experience, and quasi-experiment and interpretative phenomenological analysis for the client-users' experience. The studies of the developer's experience of My Career Chapter comprehensively explicate how and why the procedure was developed and emphasise the importance of reflexive science and practice. Crucially, the autoethnographies revealed a nexus of theory-practice-person which underpins the production of My Career Chapter, and critically influences the entire research project. The studies involving counsellor-users affirmed My Career Chapter's alignment with recommendations for the development and application of qualitative career assessment and counselling procedures. These studies also raised questions pertaining to the characteristics of client-users that may mediate the efficacy of the procedure (e.g., age, language ability). Studies of client-users firstly support the conclusion that My Career Chapter is a safe career assessment and counselling procedure, with minimal attendant risk of inducing psychological harm or distress. The procedure was experienced as being helpful as a tool for personal reflection, through its theoretically-derived processes of facilitating clients writing, reading, and hearing and talking their autobiographical manuscripts through in the interpretation phase. There are four dimensions of significance associated with this research project. Firstly, the divide between theory and practice has indeed been much lamented in vocational psychology and counselling psychology. Thus, the overall significance of the research reported upon in this dissertation is significant because it attempts to bring theory and practice together through a reflexive and theoretically informed research process into a career assessment and counselling procedure. Secondly, the research and development process produced a new career assessment and counselling product which will add to the limited range of techniques that fall under the aegis of constructivist career assessment and counselling broadly, and the narrative approach specifically. My Career Chapter complements other procedures. Thirdly, two of the research methods used in the project (viz., autoethnography and interpretative phenomenological analysis) demonstrated their potential as additional qualitative methods for research within vocational psychology. Finally, the research process has enabled the articulation of the Theory of Dialogical Self—from another branch of psychology—into the extant corpus of literature on career development theory and practice.

Om ’n beroepskeuse te maak of oor ’n (nuwe) beroep te besluit, is op sigself ’n oefening wat geweldige emosionele insig, krag en volwassenheid verg. Indien hierdie belangrike besluit geneem moet word deur ’n adolessent wat boonop hakkel, verg dit soveel me er innerlike sterkte. Vir so ’n jongmens is dit ’n enorme taak om ’n beeld van hom-/haarself in die toekoms te projekteer en besluite rakende ’n beroep en/of loopbaan te neem. Om te hakkel beïnvloed ongetwyfeld ’n adolessent se toekomsvisie en - planne. Benewens die feit dat die siening van die self in die hede aangepas moet word om ruimte te laat vir hakkel as ’n persoonlikheidseienskap en besluite wat dit behels en beïnvloed, moet die betrokke adolessent ook hierdie beeld op so ʼn wyse kan aanpas dat die self suksesvol in die toekoms geprojekteer kan word. Dit is die primêre doelwit van die onderhawige studie om vas te stel watter waarde lewensontwerpberading inhou vir ’n adolessent wat hakkel, en die studie word onderneem teen die agtergrond van beide die sisteemteorie en die sosiale konstruktivisme ten einde die navorser te help om op die ervaring van die deelnemer binne sy unieke konteks te fokus. Die studie is spesifiek gerig op die belewingswêreld van die adolessent wat hakkel. Ten einde die subjektiewe en diverse ervarings van die deelnemer beter te begryp, het ek ondersoek gedoen na die wyse waarop adolessente oor die algemeen (en my deelnemer in die besonder) deur middel van interaksie met ander (en die omgewing) deur die lens van die sosiale konstruktivisme vir hulself betekenis skep. Ek het vanuit ʼn kwalitatiewe paradigma gewerk en ʼn gevalstudie gedoen waar die eenheid van ondersoek ʼn adolessent was wat hakkel. My studie het gefokus op aanpasbaarheid as ’n element van hierdie adolessent se lewensontwerp, maar dan spesifiek ook op die wyse waarop die vier kerndimensies van aanpasbaarheid in sy lewe voltrek, te wete beroepsbelang, beroepsbeheer, beroepsnuuskierigheid en beroepselfvertroue. Ek het oorkoepelend ondersoek ingestel na die waarde van lewensontwerpberading in terme van die betekenisgewing (meaning making) en ‘heelwording’ (becoming more whole) van hierdie deelnemer as ’n persoon wat hakkel. ENGLISH : Making a career choice or deciding about a (new) career/job is an exercise that in itself already requires significant emotional insight, command and maturity. When this important decision is to be made by an adolescent who also stutters, this requires so much more inner strength. For such a youth it is a gigantic task to project an image of him/herself into the future and to make decisions concerning a future job/career. To stutter, unquestionably influences a person’s future vision and plans. Not only does it require an adaptation of the view of the self in the present to make space for this personality trait and the decisions that will influence and concern it, but the adolescent who stutters also will have to adjust this image of the self in order to successfully project the self into the future. It is the primary goal of this study to investigate the value of life design counselling for an adolescent who stutters and it is done against the background of both the systems theory and social constructivism in order to help the researcher to focus on the experience of the participant within his unique context. The study is specifically the world of experience of the adolescent who stutters. In order to better understand the subjective and diverse experiences of the participant, I investigated through the lens of social constructivism the way in which adolescents in general (and my participant in particular) created meaning through interaction with others (and the environment). I worked from a qualitative paradigm and conducted a case study where the unit of investigation was an adolescent who stutters. My study focused on adaptability as an element of this adolescent’s life design, but then specifically on the way that the four core dimensions of adaptability, that is career concern, career control, career curiosity and career confidence, manifest themselves in his life. I conducted an overall investigation into the value that life design counselling holds for the participant as a person who stutters in terms of his making meaning of life and becoming more whole as a person. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

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Text in English with abstracts and keywords in English, Afrikaans and isiZulu. Translated titles in Afrikaans and isiZulu supplied. / The research focused on individual–organisational career path congruence and the development of an integrated measure (I-PIA-M) constituting individual variables (i.e. career anchor preferences, career interests and abilities) which are recognised as influencing individuals’ perceptions of fit with the organisation. The research adopted a mixed-methods approach: (1) principles and constructs of person–environment (P-E) fit were applied, both to develop the I-PIA-M and empirically test the measure for reliability and validity; and (2) a qualitative study (career intervention) was conducted in which the empirically tested measure was applied in a career counselling context, to assess and guide career path congruence in an authentic work setting. The quantitative study involved a randomly selected sample (N = 270) of predominantly working adults in the economic and management sciences fields. The qualitative study involved five respondents in a career construction interview, along with the administration of the empirically tested I-PIA-M measure. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the multi-dimensionality of the I-PIA-M, and the reliability and construct validity of the scale. The results showed that race and gender significantly explain individuals’ self-perceived career anchor preferences and career interests, but not their self-perceived abilities. Age did not significantly explain individuals’ self-perceived career anchor preferences, career interests or abilities. The qualitative study corroborated the multi-directionality of individuals’ career paths and the notion of guiding person–organisation career path congruence by means of the I-PIA-M. The research contributed to career psychology and career counselling practice through the empirical testing and application of the I-PIA-M in the contemporary work context. Various limitations and recommendations for further research were also highlighted in this thesis. / Die navorsing het gefokus op individuele-organisatoriese-loopbaankongruensie en die ontwikkeling van 'n geïntegreerde maatstaf (I-PIA-M) bestaande uit individuele veranderlikes (bv loopbaanankervoorkeure, loopbaanbelangstellings en vermoëns) wat erken word as faktore wat individue se persepsies van passing met die organisasie beïnvloed. Die navorsing het 'n gemengdemetode-benadering gevolg: (1) beginsels en konstrukte van persoon-omgewing is toegepas om sowel die I-PIA-M te ontwikkel en die maatstaf empiries vir betroubaarheid en geldigheid te toets; en (2) 'n kwalitatiewe studie (loopbaanintervensie) is onderneem waarin die empiries getoetsde maatstaf in 'n loopbaanberadingskonteks gebruik is om die loopbaanpadkongruensie in 'n outentieke werksituasie te evalueer en te lei. Die kwantitatiewe studie het 'n ewekansig geselekteerde steekproef (N = 270) van oorwegend werkende volwassenes op die terrein van ekonomiese en bestuurswetenskappe betrek. Die kwalitatiewe studie het vyf respondent in 'n loopbaankonstruksie-onderhoud betrek, saam met die aanwending van die empiries getoetste I-PIA-M maatstaf. Verkennende faktoranalise en bevestigende faktoranalise het die multidimensionele aard van die I-PIA-M bevestig, en die betroubaarheid en konstrukgeldigheid van die skaal. Die resultate het getoon dat ras en geslag beduidend individue se self-vermeende loopbaanankervoorkeure en loopbaanbelangstellings verklaar, maar nie hul self-vermeende vermoëns nie. Ouderdom het nie beduidend individue se self-vermeende loopbaanankervoorkeure, loopbaanbelangstellings of vermoëns verklaar nie. Die kwalitatiewe studie het die multidireksionele aard van individue se loopbaanpaaie en die idee dat persoon–organisasie-loopbaanpadkongruensie deur middel van die I-PIA-M gerig word, gestaaf. Die navorsing het tot loopbaansielkunde en loopbaanberadingspraktyk bygedra deur die empiriese toetsing en toepassing van die I-PIA-M in die kontemporêre werkkonteks. Verskeie beperkings en aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing is ook in hierdie tesis uitgelig. / Ucwaningo lugxile kuhlelo olufanayo lobizo lomsebenzi olulandelwa umuntu ngamunye–yinhlangano kanye nokuthuthukiswa kwendlela ehlangene yokwakha izimpawu zomuntu ezahlukahlukene (I-PIA-M) (zona yilezi ukwenyulwa kobizo lomsebenzi oluyinsika, ubizo oluthandayo lomsebenzi kanye namakhono okwenza umsebenzi) ezithathwa njengalezo ezinomthelela phezu kwemiqondo yomuntu ohambelana ncimishi nenhlangano. Ucwaningo lwamukela ingxubevange yezindlela zokwenza ucwaningo: (1) imigomo kanye nezakhiwo zesizinda somuntu (P-E) zisetshenziswe, kabili, ukwakha i I-PIA-M kanye nokuhlolwa ngendlela ephathekayo izinga lokwethembeka kanye nokulunga; kanye; kanye (2) nocwaningo olusebenzisa amagama lwenziwa, lapho isinyathelo sokuhlola esiphathekayo sasetshenziswa kuhlelo ngaphansi kwesizinda sokululekwa ngokobizo lomsebenzi, ukuhlola ikhono kanye nokukhombisa umfundi indlela yobizo lomsebenzi ehambisana naye angayilandela ngaphansi kwesimo sangempela somsebenzi. . Lesi sifundo socwaningo besixuba isampuli yokukhethwa ngokungahleliwe kwabantu abadala (N = 270) abasebenzayo emikhakheni yezesayensi yezomnotho kanye nezokuphata. Uhlelo locwaningo olusebenzisa amagama luye lwaxuba abaphenduli abahlanu kunhlololwazi lokuzakhela ubizo lomsebenzi, kanye nokuqhutshwa kwesinyathelo sokuhlolwa okuphathekayo kohlelo lwe-I-PIA-M. -. Uhlelo lokuhluza oluvumbululayo kanye nohlelo lokuhluza oluqinisekisayo aye aqinisekisa ukwehlukahluka kwe-I-PIA-M ngokwezigaba, nokwethembeka kanye nohlelo lwesakhiwo esifanele sobukhulu. Imiphumela iye yakhombisa ukuthi ubuhlanga kanye nobulili zichaza kahle kakhulu ubizo lomsebenzi olukhethwa, ubizo lomsebenzi othandwayo noma amakhono omsebenzi athandwayo, kodwa hayi ngokuzikhethela komuntu ngokwamakhono anawo. Unyaka awuzange ucacise kahle ukwenyula ubizo lomsebenzi, ukuthanda ubizo lomsebenzi kanye namakhono omsebenzi ngokuzazi komuntu ngokwakhe. Unyaka, ubuhlanga kanye namaqembu obulili akhombise umehluko omkhulu mayelana nobizo lwemisebenzi abalwenyulayo, ubizo lwemisebenzi abayithandayo kanye namakhono omsebenzi abawaqondayo ngokuzazi kwabo. Ucwaningo olususelwa kumagama lusekela uhlelo lwezindlela eziningi lwezindlela zobizo lomsebenzi ezilandelwa ngabantunkanye nombono wokuholela umuntu-inhlangano endleleni efanayo yobizo lomsebenzi ngokusebenzisa uhlelo lwe-I-PIA-M. Ucwaningo luye lwaba negalelo kusayikholoji kanye nasemisebenzini wokweluleka ngokobizo lomsebenzi ngokusebenzisa uhlelo oluphathekayo lokuhlola kanye nokusetshenziswa kohlelo lwe-I-PIA-M kwisimo sanamuhla sasemsebenzini. Kuye kwavezwa imingcele eyahlukahlukene kanye nezinqumo ezimayelana nokwenza olunye ucwaningo oluqhubekayo kuye kwavezwa kule thesisi. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / Ph. D. (Psychology)

South African learners transitioning into the world of work are currently lacking adequate career education in schools. It is well documented that preparedness for the world of work sets learners in a locus of control. The main aim of this case study was to interpret learners’ reflections of selfconstructing a career with the psychosocial construct of career adaptability as an instructional scaffold. The study leaned on the life design for career construction theory, a combination of the career construction theory of Savickas, and the selfconstruction theory of Guichard. I utilised interpretivism as a research paradigm and a single case study design. Following purposeful convenience sampling, sixteen Grade 11 learners in a South African public school participated in Phase 1: a workshop comprising five sessions. Phase 2 consisted of a focus group interview with eight learners selected from the original group on their level of contribution and commitment. Data collection included group reflection, reflective writing, observation, researcher reflective field notes, and a focus group interview. Six themes emerged from the thematic analysis of the data. Learners successfully initiated career planning activities by reflecting on the career adaptability construct. The research results suggest a need for an alternative approach in the manner career education is presented in schools. This study hopes to provide insight into career selfconstruction initiatives learners employ when using the career adaptability construct as an instructional scaffold. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)