This thesis explores the experiences of a group of women in Aotearoa/New Zealand who have been diagnosed with a psychiatric illness, with the aim of gaining some understanding about how they negotiate issues around diagnosis, recovery and resilience-development and employment. A qualitative methodology was used to encourage the women to relate their vocational and life experiences. Fifteen women, whose ages ranged from 17 to their late 60s, with a range of psychiatric diagnoses, were interviewed across ten months. One woman identified as having Māori ancestry and several identified as lesbian. Each interview, which was semi-structured, was transcribed and then verified by the women, and all data were analysed using thematic content analysis and symbolic interactionist and discourse/narrative analyses. Salient issues provided a focus for later interviews and generated theory. The thesis is organised according to major themes that were generated from the data: ‘Getting unwell and getting help,’ ‘Getting well’ and ‘Getting back to work.’ Within these broad themes, key ideas emerged around the women’s views on the difference between ‘madness’ and ‘mental illness’, the biological basis for mental distress, the impact of labelling, the importance of having a ‘literacy’ around psychiatric illness that helps foster agency, the importance of workplace accommodations and mentors in vocational settings, and the process of renegotiating vocational identity when one has a psychiatric illness. Data analysis revealed how participants make ‘sense’ of their psychiatric ill health and recovery/resilience-development experiences, create a vocational self-concept and view themselves as social beings in the current socio-political and cultural context of being New Zealanders. The women’s narratives exhibited negligible explicit gender role identification and the present research uncovered very little explicit data relevant to lesbian and bisexual women’s lives, apart from data on sexual identity disclosure. Rather the women spoke as members of a group that accepted Western diagnoses and used various strategies to reclaim what had been lost and grow new social and vocational roles. The thesis, therefore, provides a platform for understanding the experiences of women living with psychiatric illness in Aotearoa/New Zealand. It provides new information on service-users’ views of medical models of psychiatric illness and the efficacy of their alliances with mental health professionals. It also provides evidence of the needs women have for gaining and maintaining employment after diagnosis with psychiatric illness.

Syftet med studien är att utforska den narrativa arbetsmetoden Livets träd som karriärvägledningsinstrument och i vilka sammanhang metoden är som mest användbar inom vägledning. I undersökningen har vi använt en kvalitativ ansats med fyra enskilda intervjuer som datainsamlingsverktyg. Respondenter delar gemensamma drag angående det grundläggande syftet och utvärdering av metoden Livets träd. De menar att metoden bidrar till att stärka individers tro på sin egen förmåga. Genom bättre självkännedom får individen även en meningsfullhet i tillvaron och större möjligheter till att utforska sig själv och sina drömmar. Metoden i sig beskrivs som både filosofisk och kreativ, vilket gör att metoden inte passar alla, både vad som gäller deltagare och personal. För att arbetet i metoden ska ge bästa utdelning krävs det att man arbetat upp en trygghet inom gruppen. Det handlar om att både delge av sina egna tankar likväl som att få respons av de andra deltagarna. Metoden anses ha störst utvecklingsmöjligheter i arbetet med barn, vilket även är metodens ursprungliga målgrupp. Metoden passar även unga vuxna utan sysselsättning, ungdomar som lever i svåra familjeförhållanden, ensamkommande flyktingbarn, nyanlända invandrare, ungdomar som på grund av olika anledningar misslyckats att nå fullkomliga betyg på grundskola eller gymnasiet som tänkbara målgrupper och sammanhang för metoden. / The purpose of this study is to explore the application of the narrative method The Tree of Life as a career guidance instrument and to investigate the career counselling contexts in which the method could be most usable. As research strategy, we have chosen to perform a case study without intervention with four individual interviews as data collection method. The results show that the interviewees share common features regarding the fundamental purpose and the evaluation of the method The Tree of Life. They argue that the method helps to strengthen individuals’ belief in their own abilities. Through better self-knowledge individuals may perceive their life as more meaningful and they may get more opportunities to explore themselves and their dreams. The method itself is described as both philosophical and creative, which means that it cannot be applied automatically by all the counsellors and within every kind of target groups. The study shows that the method’s potential is better exploited when the counsellor succeeds in creating the appropriate sense of safeness within the group so that the participants can fully share the stories of their lives and get feedback from the others. According to the collected data, the method is considered to have its greatest potential for development in the work with children, who on the other hand have been its peculiar target group, since the method was developed in 2005. Nevertheless, the interviewees could see the method as applicable also within other target groups. They have referred in particular to young people who are neither in education nor in employment, to young people who live in a difficult family background, to unaccompanied refugee children, to newly arrived immigrants, and to youth who for various reasons are not able to fulfil their course of education.

Career indecision is one of the key aspects that professionals in career guidance counselling are interested in assessing. Career indecision, in the context of university students has been defined as the inability to select a university major or occupation (Borgen & Hiebert, 2006, p. 58). Thus, with the purpose of addressing career indecision, the proposed study would examine the nature thereof amongst prospective university students. The prevalence of specific aspects of career maturity (namely, self-information, decision-making, career information, integration of self-information and career information, and career planning) underlying career indecision will be investigated, as well as the correlations between these aspects. In addition, the correlations between the aspects of career maturity and certain biographical variables such as gender, home language, declared career choice, differentiation of interests, and self-reported level of career indecision will be examined. / Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom(IPS)

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship among three classifications of parental subsystems (intact/nuclear, blended, and single-parent), two educational levels (high school and college), and gender (male and female) on career self-efficacy, in addition to the five career self-efficacy subscales.The assessment of career development and parental relationship issues was undertaken through seven questions included on the demographic information questionnaire. The students responded to the vocational issues (awareness of interest, skills, and values) questions by rating each one on a Likert scale with ratings ranging from little (1) awareness, capability, or closeness to extreme (5) awareness, capability, or closeness. The questions were drawn from Palmer and Cochran's (1988) research on career development. Mean scores are shown for each of the vocational issues questions.A total of 516 students responded to a demographic information questionnaire, in addition to the Career Self Efficacy Decision-Making Scale (CDMSE; Taylor & Betz, 1983). There were disproportionate numbers of subjects representing each educational (354 high school and 162 college students) and gender grouping (320 females and 196 males). The three parental subsystem classifications were intact/nuclear, blended, and single-parent. The definitions for these parental subgroupings were adapted from research conducted by Dentler (1984) and Miller (1984). In this sample, the intact/nuclear subsystem classification was the most highly represented (349), followed by the single-parent (85), and then the blended subsystem (82).Analyzing the hypotheses required a between-subjects factorial multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). All five hypotheses failed to reach the .05 level of statistical significance.The results of the study suggest that varying classifications of parental subsystem, educational level, and gender difference were not related to statistically significant differences in levels of career self-efficacy. There was no significant difference in career self-efficacy levels between subjects who had older siblings as role models and those who did not. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Responses of employees completing a career counseling program (n = 95) were collected to answer research questions about participant expectations and outcomes of the counseling program. The career counseling program was provided to management and non-management employees throughout the state of Indiana by an Indiana based communication company. During the first year, 202 employees completed the career counseling program. These employees were mailed a 19 item, researcher developed, survey instrument. The reported data were collected from 95 surveys (47%) that were returned.The purpose of the career counseling program was to assist current employees of the organization in establishing career and educational goals to better cope with a changing work environment. Research questions studied were (1) In what ways did the career counseling program help shape the career plans and goals of the participating employees, (2) In what ways were employees who completed career counseling making observable progress toward exploring and implementing career goals, (3) In what ways did career counseling successfully meet the initial counseling objectives of the participants, and (4) In what ways did the career counseling program meet the original expectations of the sponsoring organization.Response data indicated that meeting with trained career counselors and reviewing a LIFEPLAN career assessment instrument ranked as the top two activities helping to shape career plans and goals of program participants. Observable progress toward established goals was reported by 95% of the counseling participants enrolling in some type of educational program after completing the counseling program. Successful accomplishment of initial counseling objectives of the participants was reported by 73% of the counseling participants. They reported increased confidence in their career decisions and in their actions as a result of participating in the counseling program.Evidence from the data indicated that an individual meeting with a trained career counselor was the most often reported counseling activity assisting employees to better understand their career and educational goals. Data also indicated the career counseling program was meeting many of the initial counseling expectations reported by participating employees.Questions to be reviewed in future career counseling programs for employees are also presented. / Department of Educational Leadership

Based on Super's (1990) developmental model of career development and Spence and Helmreich's (1978) gender identity theory, this study examined the relationship between the gender-related traits of instrumentality and expressiveness and women's preferences for multiple life-career roles. Super (1990) suggested that a career, as represented by the major life roles of student, worker, citizen, homemaker, and leisurite, is influenced by sex role stereotyping and individual differences. It was hypothesized in this project that gender role orientation (levels of instrumentality and expressiveness) would have an effect on women's role preferences.Adult women (N = 100) from three medium-sized midwestern communities were recruited from churches and community sororities. The women ranged in age from 20 to 82, with a mean age of 44.8 years. A response rate of 53%% was obtained. Role preferences, as expressed by women's participation, commitment, and value expectations, were measured by Nevill and Super's (1986) Salience Inventory (SI). Gender role orientation was assessed by Spence and Helmreich's (1974) Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ). Scores on the PAQ were grouped into the categories ofandrogynous, instrumental, expressiveness, and undifferentiated by the median split technique. A demographic questionnaire was also administered.The demographic variables were grouped conceptually into five categories: personal, occupational, role satisfaction, parental influence, and spousal support for the purpose of preliminary analyses. Results of these analyses (Pearson Productmoment correlations, canonical correlations, and discriminant function analyses) revealed that personal and role satisfaction variables may moderate women's gender role orientation and role preferences. The main analyses were then conducted with three separate between-subjects MANOVAs. Although the results of the MANOVAs involving women's participation and commitment to multiple life-career roles were nonsignificant, another MANOVA involving women's value expectations was significant. Post-hoc procedures indicated that androgynous women had greater expectations of achieving their values in their work role than did instrumental women. It was also found that androgynous women had higher value expectations in the community and home roles than did undifferentiated women.A number of theoretical, empirical, and counseling implications were discussed. Limitations of the study were discussed in terms of the sample characteristics and the statistics employed. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

The literature on female superintendents addresses both barriers and perceived characteristics and actions that facilitate career development. However, relatively little empirical evidence exists to verify the experiences of women who have reached this top-level position. This study examined the experiences and perceptions of females who were employed as school superintendents in Indiana during the 1996-97 school year.The population consisted of 15 females, 13 of whom (87%) agreed to participate. The purposes of the study were to determine (a) the population's demographic profile, (b) the extent to which common career barriers were experienced, (c) perceptions of the perceived difficulty associated with common barriers, (d) perceptions of positive characteristics, and (e) perceptions of positive career actions.The demographic profile indicates that these superintendents were highly qualified; 12 of the 13 had earned doctorates, and most had substantial experience as teachers and administrators prior to entering the superintendency. Not all attributed career planning to their success; some obtained their positions either because they were encouraged to become applicants or because they were given internal promotions.Findings indicated that three females had not encountered any barriers; three of the eight barriers were not encountered by any participants. No barriers were experienced by more than half of the population. Family responsibilities (cited by 46%) and gender discrimination (cited by 38%) were the most commonly cited. These barriers were also viewed as the most difficult; however, the effects of gender discrimination were seen as severe whereas the effects of family responsibilities were viewed as modest.Many characteristics and actions deemed positive in the literature were perceived to have been beneficial to the respondents' careers. All identified human interaction skills, effective leadership, quality of administrative experience, and self-confidence as highly important characteristics. All identified gaining visibility within the profession and gaining the support of family and friends as extremely influential tactics.Two distinct views of career development were identified: reliance on mentors and working within the system; reliance on independence, hard work, and tenacity. Respondents believed that they had to have better qualifications than their male counterparts to reach the superintendency.Recommendations for further study are included. / Department of Educational Leadership

Gottfredson's theory of circumscription and compromise provides a framework for the application of a cognitive perspective in redefining the integration of career development and choice. A schematic reconceptualization of Gottfredson's theory was proposed to reconcile the conflicting findings of the circumscription and compromise process. The current methods in measuring circumscription and compromise, however, were not adequate to measure them schematically. So the purpose of the present study was to develop a schema-based vocational scale to measure Gottfredson's compromise process.Two goals guided the development of the Vocational Schema Compromise Scale (VSCS), the establishment of an acceptable level of reliability and the establishment of construct validity. Goal 2, the establishment of construct validity, included the following four hypotheses: Hypothesis 1 - four factors similar to Gottfredson's dimensions, masculine and feminine sex type, prestige, and interest, would emerge from factor analyses; Hypothesis 2 - the VSCS would have convergent validity with another career measure, the Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI); Hypothesis 3 - the VSCS would have discriminant validity with a generalized locus of control measure; and hypothesis 4 - the VSCS was not a measure of socially desirable responding.Eight hundred and eighty-two undergraduate male and female students participated in the study. The findings of the study indicated that the goals of the study were partially accomplished and two of the four hypotheses were supported. For goal 1, reliability was establishedat an acceptable level on 11 of the 12 VSCS subscales. For goal 2, construct validity was partially accomplished. Hypothesis 1 was partially supported; internal construct validity was established for two of the three VSCS scales with four factors emerging on each scale. Hypothesis 2 was not supported; there was only a small relationship between the VSCS and the VPI, indicating that the VSCS may not really be measuring the dimensions of sex type, prestige, and interest or may be measuring them differently than the VPI. Hypothesis 3 was supported; the VSCS did not measure a generalized locus of control. Hypothesis 4 was also supported; the VSCS did not substantially measure social desirability. Limitations and implications for future research of the VSCS are discussed. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

This research study, based on 15 research questions, described demographic information, career patterns and career goals of 156 of Indiana's public school curriculum leaders. The two most common titles for curriculum leaders were curriculum director and assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. Significant associations were found in three areas: respondents with the highest degrees and those who had moved to the curriculum director's position from specific educational professions identified certain career goals; curriculum directors who planned to retire from their current positions chose curriculum as their ultimate career goal. Comparisons to Malone's (1999) study of Indiana's superintendents were included. Curriculum directors were evenly divided men and women, were 96% Caucasian, had a mean age of 51 years, and represented all sizes of school districts. / Department of Educational Leadership

The objective of the study was to determine the impact of a train-the-trainer career education programme on educators and black grade eleven learners in the Ekurhuleni districts of Gauteng. The context of career education in South Africa is such that learners have little exposure to career information and planning. This is a result of an education system which historically has placed little emphasis on the preparation of learners for the world of work. In the past little or no career guidance was conducted in black schools. To overcome this dilemma a train-the-trainer career education programme was developed and implemented with educators in the Ekurhuleni district. The results showed that educators felt empowered by the programme and that it provided them with resources and information. The impact on the learners in terms of the programme was achieved by means of a pre- and post-test on the Career Development Questionnaire (CDQ). A convenience sample of grade eleven learners (n = 5 1) in the Ekurhuleni East district of Gauteng was taken. The results indicate that the learner's career maturity scores increased after their exposure to the programme. This research serves as a model for the development and implementation of a train the trainer career education programme and demonstrates how an action-oriented research design can empower educators in the implementation of such a programme. The study also highlights the importance of providing adequate resources as part of career education intervention in the South Africa context. Recommendations for organisations and future research are made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.