This study adapted existing empirically supported interventions to explore options for serving large numbers of unemployed adults. Participants included 150 unemployed adults (72 experimental group, 78 control group) seeking employment office services to maintain U.S. federal unemployment compensation. A 1‐hour workshop was offered to the 72 experimental group participants. The same career development variables were assessed during data collection for both groups. Results revealed the workshop had no impact on negative career thinking and potentially increased career decision‐making difficulties in the experimental group. Intervention effectiveness issues, implications for future research, and intervention options with unemployed adults are discussed.
At a southeastern university, 226 undergraduate students completed measures of career decidedness, career self-efficacy, degree of dysfunctional career thinking, and career decision difficulty. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that the career-undecided students reported lower levels of career decision-making self-efficacy, higher levels of negative career thinking, and greater decision-making difficulties than did the career-decided students. Advisers working with career-undecided students should strive to enhance their self-efficacy by collaborating with them to attain small, accomplishable goals. (45 ref)-
Little empirical knowledge about unemployed adults exists during a time when this group needs substantial career assistance. Because there is greater empirical understanding of college student career development compared with what is known about unemployed adults, a chi square and analyses of covariance were used to compare the career thinking, self‐efficacy, and interests of 169 unemployed adults seeking public job center assistance with that of 200 college students. Additionally, a diverse sample of 2,444 unemployed adults is demographically reviewed. Unemployed adults reported a higher level of Realistic interests and similar levels of negative career thinking and career decision‐making self‐efficacy compared with college students.
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