Volume 16, Issue 63 (3-2017)                   refahj 2017, 16(63): 247-279 | Back to browse issues page

XML Persian Abstract Print


Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:

Abdi Zarrin S. (2017). An Investigation on Career Choice Model (SCCT) among Iranian high-school students. refahj. 16(63), 247-279.
URL: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-2723-en.html
Abstract:   (7868 Views)

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the  Career Choice Model based on SCCT among  Iranian high school students.  This model pays attention to the role of personal factors (self-efficacy and outcome expectations) and social factors (social barriers and social supports) in shaping the  interests and occupational consideration. SCCT was developed to understand the processes that people form their interests, make choices, achieve performances of varying quality, and persist at academic and career relevant endeavors. Based on Bandura’s (1986) General Self-efficacy Theory and Hackett and Betz’s(1981) Career Self-efficacy Theory, SCCT focuses on interaction among person, environmental, and behavioral influences in academic and career development. Among personal variables, this theory emphasizes on the central role of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and goals. SCCT is equally concerned with variables, such as environmental supports and barriers. Much of the extant SCCT research has operationalized the content of people's career interests or choices using RIASEC theme. Holland (1985, 1997) divides both people and environments into some combination of six interest domains. These six domains are hexagonally organized, and include Realistic (e.g., outdoors, mechanical), Investigative (e.g., science, math), Artistic (e.g., art, language), Social (e.g., helping, teaching), Enterprising (e.g., selling, business) and Conventional (e.g., details, clerical), collectively known as RIASEC. SCCT consists of four interrelated models of interest development, choice-making, performance, and satisfaction. Key variables in SCCT’s choice model include self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, environmental supports and barriers, and choice goals and actions. More research involving non-Western samples, collectivist cultures, and developing countries is needed. 

Method: Through a cluster sampling method,  650 Iranian high school male students living  in Isfahan , Iran were selected. Participants answered to the questions about  self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interest and occupational consideration and social supports and barriers with regard to the Holland’s (1997) RIASEC themes: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. The  present study examined the fit of the choice model(Lent et al., 1994), which incorporates the interest model(Lent et al., 1994) to the RIASEC themes and tested SCCT’s specific hypotheses that are (a) self-efficacy is predictive of outcome expectations; (b) self-efficacy and outcome expectations jointly predict interests; (c) self-efficacy and outcome expectations predict students’ choice consideration (goals), both directly and indirectly, through interests; and (d) social supports and barriers account for unique variance in choice consideration, above and beyond the other predictors. Also, it tested Bandura’s (1999, 2000) hypothesis that environmental supports and barriers are linked to choices indirectly through self-efficacy.

Findings: To examine the  fit of model  AMOS-16 was used.  Results showed that integrated interest-choice model fitted the data well with regard to  RIASEC themes. Indexes of CFI, GFI, AGFI, NFI, RMSEA were good for the model. Results showed that self-efficacy and outcome expectations jointly predict interests, and interests mediate the relations between  self-efficacy and outcome expectations and  occupational consideration. Social supports is related to occupational consideration indirectly (through self-efficacy) rather than directly unless in R type. In this study, there was a significant relationship between  outcome expectations and interests to occupational consideration . However, the relationship between  self-efficacy and  occupational consideration was weak and non-significant. Results showed that interest did mediate the relations between self-efficacy and outcome expectations and  occupational consideration with regard to the  RIASEC themes, also between  self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and interests. Findings showed the relationship between  social supports and barriers to occupational consideration was small and non-significant with regard to the  RIASEC themes.

Discussion: The fitness of this model in this study was good and it was similar to studies in Portugal (2010) and in Italy (2003) by Lent et al.. According to SCCT’s choice model hypotheses (Lent et al., 1994), self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and interests each relate directly to choice. In the present study, the relationship between  outcome expectations and interests and  occupational consideration was significant and was similar to the choice model hypotheses. However, the relationship between  self-efficacy and  occupational consideration was low and non-significant. SCCT’s choice model also specifies that interests partially mediate the relationship between  self-efficacy and outcome expectations and  choice. Results showed that interest did mediate the relationship between self-efficacy and outcome expectations and  occupational consideration with regard to the  RIASEC themes. In addition to self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and interests, SCCT assumes that environmental supports and barriers play important roles regarding  choice goals. Findings of present study do not support these hypotheses and the relationship between  social supports and barriers and  occupational consideration was small and non-significant regarding the  RIASEC themes. In the theory of Bandura (1999, 2000) it has been assumed that environmental factors are related to goals indirectly through self-efficacy. These findings showed that indirect relationship between  social supports and  self-efficacy was significant unless in R type and indirect relationship between  social barriers and  self-efficacy was non-significant. Therefore,  Bandura hypothesis is partially supported.  The implications of these findings for further research on the non-Western culture validity of SCCT can be  considered. The base of research on SCCT is expanding across cultural and national (Kim, 2015; Falk, 2015; Lee et al., 2015; Lent et al., 2012; Lent & Sheu, 2010).

Full-Text [PDF 645 kb]   (7075 Downloads)    
Type of Study: orginal |
Received: 2017/03/13 | Accepted: 2017/03/13 | Published: 2017/03/13

References
1. Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84, 191–215.
2. Bandura, A. (1998). Exploration of fortuitous determinants of life paths. Psychological Inquiry, 9, 95-99.
3. Bandura, A. (1999). Social cognitive theory of personality. In L. Pervin & O. John (Eds.), Handbook of personality (2nd ed., pp. 154–196). New York: Guilford.
4. Bandura, A. (2000). Exercise of human agency through collective efficacy. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 9, 75–78.
5. Betz, N. E. (2008). Advances in vocational theories. In S. D. Brown & R. W. Lent (Eds.), Handbook of counseling psychology (4th ed., pp. 357–374). Hoboken, NJ:Wiley.
6. Betz, N. E. & Hackett, G. (2006). Career Self-Efficacy Theory: Back to the Future. Journal of Career Assessment, 14(1), 3-11.
7. Blus‌tein, D. L., McWhirter, E. H. & Perry, J. C. (2005). An emancipatory communitarian approach to vocational development theory, research, and practice. The CounselingPsychologis‌t, 33, 141-179.
8. Brown, S. D. & Lent, R. W. (2005). Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work, Canada: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
9. Byron, K. (2005). A meta-analytic review of work–family conflict and its antecedents. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 67, 169-198.
10. Dik, B. J. & Hansen, J.-I. C. (2008). Following Passionate Interes‌ts to Well-Being. Journal of Career Assessment , 16(1), 86-100.
11. Duffy, R. D. & Lent, R. W. (2009). Relation of religious support to career decision self-efficacy in college s‌tudents. Journal of Career Assessment.
12. Gottfredson, G. D. & Duffy, R. D. (2008). Using a Theory of Vocational Personalities and Work Environments to Explore Subjective Well-Being. Journal of Career Assessment, 16(1), 44–59.
13. Gottfredson, L. S. (2005). Applying Gottfredson’s Theory of Circumscription and Compromise in Career Guidance and Counseling. In S. D. Brown & R. W. Lent (Eds.), Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work (pp. 71-100). New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
14. Gore, P. A. (1996). A s‌tructural analysis of a social cognitive career theory. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
15. Gore, P. A. & Leuwerke, W. C. (2000). Predicting occupational considerations: A comparison of self-efficacy beliefs, outcome expectations, and personenvironment congruence. Journal of Career Assessment, 8, 237–250.
16. Hansen, J. C. & Dik, B. J. (2004). Measures of career interes‌ts. In M. Herson & J. C. Thomas (Eds.), Handbook of psychological assessment: Vol. 4. Indus‌trial/organizational assessment(pp. 166-191). New York: John Wiley.
17. Holland, J. L. (1985). Making vocational choices (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
18. Holland, J. L. (1997). Making vocational choices: A theory of vocational personalities and work environments (3rd ed.). Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
19. Holland, J. L. & Gottfredson, G. D. (1994). Career Attitudes and S‌trategies Inventory: An inventory for unders‌tanding adult careers. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.Alexander (Eds.), Handbook of multicultural counseling (3rd ed., pp. 691–701). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
20. Falk, N. A. (2015). Unders‌tanding the Engineering Problem: Inves‌tigation of Cultural and Social Cognitive Variables on Intent to Persis‌t for Female S‌tudents. Thesis in Mas‌ter of Arts, Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
21. Flores, L. Y., Robitschek, C., Celebi, E., Andersen, C., & Hoang, U. (2010). Social cognitive influences on Mexican Americans’ career choices across Holland’s themes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 76, 198–210.
22. Kim, K. H. (2015). Moving toward a better unders‌tanding of job satisfaction of South Korean masseurs with visual impairments: tes‌t of integrative job satisfaction model in social cognitive career theory. Dissertation of Ph.D in Rehabilitation and Counselor Education, University of Iowa.
23. Lee, H. Sh., Flores, L. Y., Navarro, R. L. & Kanagui-Muñoz, M. (2015). A longitudinal tes‌t of social cognitive career theory’s academic persis‌tence model among Latino/a and White men and women engineering s‌tudents. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 88, 95–103.
24. Lent, R. W. (2005). A Social Cognitive View of Career Development and Counseling. In S. D. Brown & R. W. Lent (Eds.), Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work (pp. 101-130). Canada: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
25. Lent, R. W. & Brown, S. D. (2006). Integrating person and situation perspectives on work satisfaction: A social-cognitive view. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 69, 236–247.
26. Lent, R. W. & Sheu, H. (2010). Applying social cognitive career theory across cultures: Empirical s‌tatus. In J. G. Ponterotto, J. M. Casas, L.A.Suzuki, & C. M.
27. Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D. & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interes‌t, choice, and performance [Monograph]. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45, 79–122.
28. Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D. & Hackett, G. (2000). Contextual supports and barriers to career choice: A social cognitive analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47, 36–49.
29. Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D. & Hackett, G. (2003). Social cognitive career theory. In D. Brown (Ed.), Career choice and development (4th ed., pp. 255-311). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
30. Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., Nota, L. & Soresi, S. (2003). Tes‌ting social cognitive interes‌t and choice hypotheses across Holland types in Italian high school s‌tudents. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 62, 101–118.
31. Lent, R. W., Lopez, A. M., Lopez, F. G. & Sheu, H. (2008). Social cognitive career theory and the prediction of interes‌ts and choice goals in the computing disciplines. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 73, 52–62.
32. Lent, R. W., Sheu, H. B., Glos‌ter, C. S. & Wilkins, G. (2010). Longitudinal tes‌t of the social cognitive model of choice in engineering s‌tudents at his‌torically Black universities. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 76, 387- 394.
33. Lent, R. W., Lopez, A. M., Sheu, H. & Lopez, F. G. (2011). Social cognitive predictors of the interes‌ts and choices of computing majors: Applicability to underrepresented s‌tudents. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 78, 184-192.
34. Lent, R. W., Paixão, M.P., Silva J.T. & Leitão, L.M. (2010). Predicting occupational interes‌ts and choice aspirations in Portuguese high school s‌tudents: A tes‌t of social cognitive career theory. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 76, 244-251.
35. Lent, R. W., Taveira, M. & Lobo, C. (2012). Two tes‌ts of the social cognitive model of well-being in Portuguese college s‌tudents. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 80, 362-371.
36. Lent, R. W., Taveira, M., Sheu, H. & Singley, D. (2009). Social cognitive predictors of academic adjus‌tment and life satisfaction in Portuguese college s‌tudents: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 74, 190–198.
37. Lent, R. W., Tracey, T. J. G., Brown, S. D., Soresi, D. & Nota, L. (2006). Development of interes‌ts and competency beliefs in Italian adolescents: An exploration of circumplex s‌tructure and bidirectional relationships. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 53, 181-191.
38. Nauta, M. M. (2007). Career Interes‌ts, Self-Efficacy, and Personality as Antecedents of Career Exploration. Journal of Career Assessment, 15(2), 162–180.
39. Nauta, M. M. & Epperson, D. L. (2003). A longitudinal examination of the social-cognitive model applied to high school girls_ choices of nontraditional college majors and aspirations. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 50, 448–457.
40. Rottinghaus, P. J., Larson, L. M. & Borgen, F. H. (2003). The relation of self-efficacy and interes‌ts:A meta-analysis of 60 samples. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 62, 221-236.
41. Sahin, I. (2008). From the social-cognitive career theory perspective: A college of education faculty model for explaining their intention to use educational technology. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 38, 51–66.
42. Schaie, K. W. & Elder, G. H., Jr. (2005). His‌torical influences on lives and aging. New York: Springer.
43. Sharf, R. S. (2006). Applying Career development theory to counseling. Texas: Thomson;Brooks/cole
44. Silvia, P. J. (2006). Interes‌t and Vocations. In P. J. Silvia (Ed.), Exploring the Psychology of Interes‌t. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.
45. Silvia, P. J. (2003). Self- efficacy and interes‌t: Experimental s‌tudies of optimal incompetence. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 62, 237-249.
46. Swanson, J. L. & Gore, P. A. (2000). Advances in vocational psychology theory and research. In S. D. Brown & R. W. Lent (Eds.), Handbook of counseling psychology (3rd ed., pp. 233-269). New York: John Wiley.
47. Tokar, D. M., Buchanan, T. S., Subich, L. M., Hall. R. J. & Williams, Ch. M. (2012). A s‌tructural examination of the Learning Experiences Ques‌tionnaire. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 80, 50-66.
48. Tracey, T. J. G. (2002). Development of interes‌ts and competency beliefs: A 1-year longitudinal s‌tudy of fifth- to eighth-grade s‌tudents using the ICA-R and s‌tructural equation modúing. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 49, 148-163.
49. Tracey, T. J. G. (2008). Adherence to RIASEC s‌tructure as a key career decision cons‌truct. Journal of Counselin Psychology, 55, 146-157.
50. Tracey, T. J. G. & Robbins, S. B. (2005). S‌tability of interes‌ts across ethnicity and gender: A longitudinal examination of Grades 8 through 12, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 67, 335-364,
51. Tracey, T. J. G. (2006). The interes‌t–major congruence and college success relation: A longitudinal s‌tudy. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 69, 64-89.
52. Tracey, T. J. G. & Sodano, S. M. (2008). Issues of S‌tability and Change in Interes‌t Development. Career Development Quarterly, 57(1), 51-62.
53. Zunker, V. G. (2006). Career counseling. Texas: Thomson;Brooks/cole.

Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

© 2024 CC BY-NC 4.0 | Social Welfare Quarterly

Designed & Developed by : Yektaweb