Despite multidisciplinary and extensive coverage, existing career theory is largely premised on Western frameworks and limited research has been conducted into career development experiences of individuals from African countries in local or transnational settings. Thus the research presented in this thesis extends on existing constructionist career development commentary by gaining insight into the interplay between societal structures and individual action in an African context. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors influencing the career development of professional Angolans working in the oil and gas industry and how experiences associated with living and working in Western contexts influences the career development of such individuals. The aim was to go beyond discovery of factors and analyse data in the form of highly personalised accounts from key informants to deepen understanding of African career development in transnational settings, mindful of postcolonial factors. Data were collected over an 18-month period using ethnographic fieldwork and semi-structured interviewing with 24 participants. Within an ethnomethodological framework and drawing on developments in postcolonial theory, constructionist grounded theory approaches informed the hermeneutic analysis of data. Findings revealed that multiple and distinctly nuanced dynamics between institutional micro structures (e.g., family, education and employment) and societal macro structures (e.g., socio-economic, political, historical and cultural environments) significantly shape individual career decision making, behaviour and aspirations in the Angolan context. Experiences of living and working in Western settings were found to have a profound impact on personal and professional development as well as aspirations for international careers. The main limitations of this study derive from its relatively small sample size and particularist focus on a single industry, however its value stems from rich narratives captured and significant effort made to triangulate findings via ‘research conversations’ with informants and industry professionals. In light of the above, this study adds to existing career theory by incorporating postcolonial perspectives and career development experiences that go beyond planned structured careers in organisational settings by focusing on the individual consequences of international assignments in transnational settings. In light of this, insights offer value also for multinational organisations that are engaged in developing African talent.

Thesis advisor: James R. Mahalilk / The disparities that are prevalent in urban environments have a profound impact on the educational and career trajectories of urban minority youth. In the interest of promoting the success among urban minority youth, it is critical to understand the influence of contextual factors on career development. Urban students of color observe and experience disparities based on gender, race, ethnicity, and parental education (Chang, Chen, Greenberger, Dooley, and Heckhausen, 2006; Fassinger, 2008). A major theoretical framework that has been used to address contextual factors in career development is Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT); (Lent, Brown, and Hackett, 1994). The current study examines the socio-contextual variables of gender, race, ethnicity, and parental education (and their interactions) in predicting adolescents' perceptions of barriers to academic and career goals, expectations of reaching goals, and engagement in career planning activities. Archival data was used from a larger longitudinal study that was conducted during the implementation of a vocational program [called Tools for Tomorrow] that was offered at two public high schools in a Northeastern city for three years (Kenny, Blustein, Haase, Jackson, and Perry, 2006). There were 208 participants with a mean age of 14 (57% females and 43% males). Hierarchal multiple regressions revealed that boys, Latino/a students, and low levels of parental education were significantly associated with lower expectations about reaching goals. An exploratory analysis was conducted with three specific ethnic groups: African American, Caribbean, and Latino/a students. Among the findings, African American girls were more likely to engage in career planning activities. This study is among the few that explore the career development of Caribbean adolescents and differentiates the experiences of students of color in career related cognitions and behavior. Limitations for this study and implications for future research, education, and vocational interventions are discussed. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology.

Denna studie har undersökt skolformen “second chance” school. Studien utgick från en specifik verksamhet i Norrland som kallas “Unga till arbete eller studier”, eller UTAS. Syftet med undersökningen var att ta reda på vad som krävs av en studie- och yrkesvägledare som väljer att jobba inom en sådan verksamhet. Studien undersökte även hur denna typ av verksamhet påverkar deltagarnas självförmåga, och vilka möjligheter och svårigheter som kan finnas i denna typ av verksamhet. Arbetet baseras på tidigare forskning om social cognitive career theory, tidigare forskningsrapporter gjorda om second chance school verksamheter och gruppvägledningsmetoden WATCH som står för ”What Alternatives? Thinking Coping Hoping”. En kvalitativ metod användes, och semi-strukturerade intervjuer gjordes med fyra anställda på verksamheten UTAS: två studie och yrkesvägledare, en specialpedagog och verksamhetens samordnare. Resultatet av studien beskriver vilka kunskaper som krävs av en studie- och yrkesvägledare som vill arbeta inom denna typ av verksamhet, bland annat en mer finkänslig förmåga att anpassa sig till sin klient. Resultaten visade även att second chance school verksamhet har en positiv inverkan på deltagarnas självförmåga, och ger deltagarna det stöd och den stabilitet de kan behöva. Slutligen visade även resultaten tydliga tecken på att orsaken till att denna typ av utbildning behövs, är samhälleliga problem som ligger utanför skolväsendet.

Turnover of experienced nurses is a component of the nursing shortage, which has created a lack of expert nurses administering bedside care. The project site is a Chicago suburban hospital with an average first year turnover of experienced nurses at 35%. This rate is above the 27% first year turnover reported by the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council. This project focused on development and evaluation of an evidence-based mentorship program supported by theory that can contribute to an increase in experienced nurse retention. A detailed literature review references causative factors of turnover, such as an increasing workload, a multigenerational and aging workforce, and a lack of belonging as reasons for job dissatisfaction and separation of employment. These factors were also cited in exit interviews of nurses resigning from the project site. Synthesis of the literature suggests that an evidence-based, theory-supported, nurse mentorship program may decrease experienced nurse turnover and increase the longevity of the nurse providing bedside care. The social cognitive career theory and components of Zey's mutual benefits model were used in the design of the mentorship program to include the mentor, mentee, and culture of the organization. Program design and materials were evaluated by 10 experienced nurses. The program was approved by 100% of the formative panel and was recommended for summative review by the 4-member nurse executive council. The summative review resulted in a final approval to implement the program. Implementation of this project will create social change through empowerment of experienced nurses and by providing strong mentors for new nurses resulting in reduced turnover of both new and experienced nurses, increased job satisfaction, reduced replacement costs, and improved patient care.

The Muslim population in the United States has faced numerous challenges in the aftermath of September 11th, including increased negative portrayal of Muslims in the media. While there is increased understanding that the social environment in the US has become more Islamophobic, there is little research in applied psychology fields to understand how this is influencing the life choices of young Muslims in the United States. This investigation focuses on South Asian Muslim Americans and the factors that influence their career decision-making process. Lent and Colleagues’ (1994) Social Cognitive Career Theory career choice model was used to develop a better understanding of these factors. This study investigated how the variables of gender, ethnicity, religiosity, perceived discrimination, and family involvement relate to career decision-making self-efficacy and outcome expectations for South Asian Muslim college students. A hierarchical regression analysis was used to understand the relationships among the variables. The goal of this study was to provide initial understandings of the factors influencing South Asian Muslim Americans career decision-making process. The study did not find a significant relationship among the variables or the applicability of the SCCT career choice model to this population. These findings demonstrate a need to learn more about the career process for this population and other factors specific to the population that may be involved in the career development process. The results provide valuable information for counseling psychologists in university counseling centers to broaden their understanding and support the needs of South Asian Muslim American students during the career choice process.

Social support has been identified as an important component of planning for careers among high school students. Lent, Brown, and Hackett (2000) advocated for the importance of this support within Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT). These authors identified a need for further research with better measurement for examining contextual support and its connection to career decision-making. Ali et al. (2011) developed a set of measures to address this need for better measurement, but identified the need for more nuanced examination of specific types of contextual support. The current study was designed to assess the importance of nuanced measuring of different types of support in career-decision making. Specifically, two scales, School Personnel and Community, from the Contextual Support of Post Secondary Planning Scales (CSPSPS) are analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis to force the scales into the factor structures proposed by Ali et al. (2011). Additionally, exploratory factor analysis was used to further examine the school personnel scale. Finally, interventions to aid School Personnel and Community in ways to support students in career decision-making are considered.

This article is a quantitative research analysis that aims to compare the career orientations of Swedish and Chinese undergraduates involved in an International Social Work Program as an effort to provide insight for social work educators.  Use of the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) was applied to analyze the data.  A mail questionnaire was issued to 51 students studying at the University of Gävle (Sweden). The results show that fifty percent of Swedish students and fifty percent Chinese students would prefer to work in the government and/or public sector.  Also,  the study participants  agree that they will be influenced by career development opportunities in future work, and that the most substantial difference between the nationalities is that Chinese students tend to be more influenced by the social expectations of immediate parents, relatives, and friends, than their Swedish counterparts.  Finally, this article lists a few recommendations geared towards helping social work educators provide more relevant links between the school’s curriculum and anticipated job requirements, and bridging more opportunities for student internship positions.

Career opportunities for women were limited until the 1970s. Teaching is a profession women have long pursued. The purpose of the study was to determine if differences exist in Kentucky women teachers’ demographic characteristics and career choice outcomes by age cohort/era. The population consisted of women who lived in the state of Kentucky and the teacher sample consisted of 110 females, ranging in age from 25-74. Findings from this study were examined through the Social Cognitive Career Theory’s (SCCT) three constructs: self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and personal goals. Five key influences were reviewed from literature: age, resources, educational attainment, teaching responsibilities, and motherhood. The educational level of all women in this sample consisted of respondents earning a bachelor’s degree or higher, with the majority having obtained a master’s degree. It was found that the teacher sample of the Kentucky Women’s Educational Attainment Study was highly influenced by their educational and occupational decisions. They were influenced by their personal values and family in their marriage and parenting decisions. Personal goals, outcome expectations, and self-efficacy were being met for these teachers by accomplishing their education and career goals while balancing their parenting choices.

This study investigated the relationship between coping style and academic satisfaction, as well as the role each plays in overall life satisfaction. Further, this study examined the potential utility of coping style within Lent and Brown’s (2006) social cognitive career theory (SCCT) model of work satisfaction. A sample of students in a university setting took a measure to assess coping style, academic satisfaction, life satisfaction, self-efficacy, and goal progress. Results indicated that both problem-focused and avoidance coping styles predicted academic satisfaction individually. Only for problem-focused coping was this relation strong enough for academic satisfaction to partially mediate the direct effect on life satisfaction. Coping styles did not explain variance above and beyond the SCCT variables of goal progress and self-efficacy. This study supports the existing model of work satisfaction in SCCT, and offers preliminary evidence for full mediation of coping styles’ effects on satisfaction by stress and goal progress.

Uppemot en sjättedel av de som elever som gick ut grundskolan vårterminen 2022 saknade behörighet till ett nationellt gymnasieprogram och fick istället söka sig till ett av de introduktionsprogram gymnasieskolan erbjuder. Av de elever som börjar intro-duktionsprogrammet är det mer än hälften som stannar längre än ett år för att bli behöriga till ett nationellt program.  Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur studie- och yrkesvägledare arbetar med elever på introduktionsprogrammen och elevens upplevda självförmåga. Frågeställningarna lyfter vad ett skolmisslyckande är enligt studie- och yrkesvägledaren, hur studie- och yrkesvägledaren tolkar elevens upplevda självförmåga samt vilka metoder eller arbetssätt studie- och yrkesvägledaren använder sig av i arbetet med elever på introduktions-programmen.  Studien använder sig av en kvalitativ metod där sex studie- och yrkesvägledare som arbetar på introduktionsprogrammen har intervjuats. Som teoretisk utgångspunkt för att tolka empirin används karriärteorin Social Cognitive Career Theory och de bärande begreppen: self-efficacy, outcome expectations och personal goals.  Resultatet visar att studie- och yrkesvägledarna arbetar relationsbyggande och därifrån stöttar eleven mot måluppfyllelse. Det visar även på att det finns en diskrepans mellan elevens upplevda självförmåga och den faktiska förmågan när det kommer till studier.