This study examined whether university students were psychologically distressed or had difficulties with career decisions to indicate whether they needed career services, whether they were aware of the services offered by the campus counseling and career services, and finally, whether they had used the services. Findings indicated that students indicated difficulties with career decisions, high levels of psychological distress, and low levels of psychological well-being and that about half of students were aware of career services but much fewer had used those services. There were relationships among psychological distress and career-related variables for undecided students. Results are discussed with implications for career services on university campuses.

This study investigated the influence of background variables (age, race/ethnicity, mother’s work status outside of the home, and socioeconomic status), personal variables (anticipatory role conflict and academic self-efficacy), and environmental variables (parental attachment and parental support) on aspects of adolescent girls’ career planning. Four hierarchical regression analyses were performed with a sample of 217 adolescent females in an urban high school. The dependent variables representing aspects of future career planning were (a) plans for the integration of work and family; (b) gender-traditionality of career choice; (c) career commitment; and (d) aspired education level. Personal variables made the greatest contribution to adolescent girls’ plans for the integration of work and family and career commitment. Background variables contributed most to gender-traditionality of career choice and aspired education level. Environmental variables did not make significant contributions to any of the dependent variables. Results and implications for counselors and educators are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to explore potential gender differences in the mediating effect of career search self‐efficacy between 2 dimensions of perfectionism (adaptive and maladaptive) and the perception of career barriers. A total of 279 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics undergraduate students participated in the study. Among men, but not women, career search self‐efficacy mediated the relationships between both dimensions of perfectionism and the perception of career barriers. Implications for counselors and future research directions are discussed.

This study addresses school counselors’ perceptions of the importance of college and career readiness counseling and their preparedness to implement aspects of such counseling with students and families. Results from surveying school counselors in a large urban district serving a diverse, low-income student population indicated that school counselors did not believe they were well prepared to provide many aspects of college and career readiness counseling, although they perceived that each area was important to their work with students and families. We discuss implications for training school counselors in college and career readiness counseling.

Many vocational psychologists advocate addressing career as well as personal concerns in career counseling. However, some clients may have inappropriate expectations toward career counseling and may not be prepared or want to discuss personal issues. This study examined whether perceptions of the career counseling process could be modified with the use of role induction. Results indicated that, whereas role induction was associated with perceptions of students' own career concerns, gender was a strong influence in perceptions of counseling overall and in the stigma associated with a holistic perspective on career counseling.