The Career Human Agency Theory

Abstract

The authors propose a constructivist theory of career human agency to integrate and update the existing career theoretical models to better address the current postmodern zeitgeist. The career human agency theory (CHAT) represents a metatheory of career psychology guided by the principles of Bandura’s human agency framework and informs career development practice and counseling interventions. CHAT promotes the enactment of personal, proxy, and collective agency in the face of uncertainty and adversity. This article describes 4 pillar principles of career agency and provides concrete examples for career counseling application.

Professional Counselors' Experiences on Interprofessional Teams in Hospital Settings

“…Semistructured interview protocols (i.e., two separate protocols) were codeveloped by the research team, informed by the CHAT (Chen & Hong, 2020), and piloted with three practicum mental health counseling students who were at integrated care sites. Sample questions include (a) How did your training prepare you for being on an IPT as a PC in hospital settings?…”

“…Understanding the experiences of PCs who make the decision to work in these settings can improve necessary training. The career human agency theory (CHAT; Chen & Hong, 2020) presents a useful model for considering factors at different levels that may influence a PC's experience on an IPT in hospital settings. The CHAT (Chen & Hong, 2020) combines the concepts of human agency and constructivism to view professionals as active agents in their own career.…”

“…The career human agency theory (CHAT; Chen & Hong, 2020) presents a useful model for considering factors at different levels that may influence a PC's experience on an IPT in hospital settings. The CHAT (Chen & Hong, 2020) combines the concepts of human agency and constructivism to view professionals as active agents in their own career. Professionals are viewed as being constantly and consistently affected by factors on personal, proxy, and collective levels.…”

“…Professionals are viewed as being constantly and consistently affected by factors on personal, proxy, and collective levels. The personal level relates to the individual's development of self (e.g., skills, regulation, confidence); the proxy level relates to the individual being affected by those around them (e.g., IPT); and the collective level relates to the individual being affected by larger entities (e.g., the organization, the hierarchy of the medical field; Chen & Hong, 2020). Hence, the research question for this study is, “What are the personal, training, ethics, and supervision experiences of PCs on IPTs in hospital settings?”…”

Paradoxical career strengths and successes of ADHD adults: an evolving narrative

“…Therefore, we are careful not to generalise to the wider adult ADHD population, who may have had more difficult experiences, and not had the same level of agency enacted by our sample group. Career experiences “do not take place in a vacuum” (Chen and Hong, 2020, p. 194) and need to be explored within the breadth of individual, social, environmental and structural contexts.…”