Career and Vocational Assessment 1995-1996: A Biennial Review

This selective review of career assessment literature covers the period 1995 to 1996. The authors emphasize published research related to vocational theories and instruments, particularly research concerning career counseling and individual career development, and identify trends and new advances in career assessment. They conclude that Holland's vocational typology continues to be prominent, that the structure of interests is an unresolved issue, that more research has been conducted in previously neglected areas, that the development of new measures and improvement of old ones continues at a rapid pace, that type of methodology affects results, and that other literatures contain possibilities for career assessment. The authors also suggest implications for policy and research.

Cross-Cultural Validation of Holland's Theory in Singapore: Beyond Structural Validity of RIASEC

Cross-cultural validation of Holland's theory typically focuses on the structural validity of the RIASEC model. This study not only examined structural validity, but the conceptual equivalence of RIASEC and the criterion-related validity of Holland's theory, based on college students from the major ethnic group in United States (White Americans) and Singapore (Chinese). Values were used to examine the convergent-discriminant validity and equivalence of meaning of RIASEC. Results indicate similar structural and criterion-related validity across the samples, although the figures were generally lower than those found in previous studies. Values were weakly related to the interest types. Some evidence of weak convergent validity was found for the I, S, and E types. Tests on these three types indicated that there was equivalence of meaning for the S and E types and the possibility of some culture-specific meaning attached to the I type. Implications for future research are discussed.

Depression among injured workers receiving vocational rehabilitation: contributions of work values, pain, and stress

INTRODUCTION

Work-related injuries or disabilities result in significant negative consequences to physical, economic, social, and psychological well-being. Depression has been shown to increase post-injury and to contribute to poor return to work outcomes. The primary goals of the study were to test known correlates of depression in a sample of injured workers receiving vocational rehabilitation and to assess the unique contribution of work values in injured worker depression.

METHOD

Scores on depression, stress, pain, work values, and demographic information were obtained from an archived sample of 253 injured workers receiving vocational rehabilitation.

RESULTS

Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used for analyses, resulting in a final model with a "large" effect size (R (2) = 0.42). The accepting vs. investigative work value dimension accounted for variance in depression scores beyond that accounted for by covariates and other significant correlates. Of the study variables, significant regression coefficients were found for pain, psychosocial stress, an interaction between pain and stress, and having an accepting work value.

CONCLUSIONS

Injured workers experiencing higher levels of pain and stress and who prefer to avoid workplace challenges may be vulnerable to experiencing depression. Results suggest that the presence of pain, stress, and the accepting work value dimension should be monitored in injured workers, and that the role of work values in injured worker depression may be a fruitful area for further research.