The Role of Dysfunctional Career Thoughts and Indecision in Determining Guidance Needs
Keywords:
Career, Career thought, Guidance, IndecisionAbstract
This study investigates the extent to which dysfunctional career thoughts and indecision affect career guidance needs. The participants were 523 high school students from two cities in central Finland. All the participants were second-year students and were 16 to 19 years old (M = 17.47; SD = .44). The respondents completed the OhjausTarveArvio (OTA), a Finnish translation of the Career Thoughts Inventory, a measure of dysfunctional career thoughts and questions concerning career decision states and the need for support in career decision-making. The results showed that significant differences exist between factor scores of dysfunctional career thoughts, degree of indecision, and needs for career guidance. Proper screening of dysfunctional career thoughts and the state of indecision could provide valuable information for counselors concerning how to formulate appropriate guidance interventions that enhance readiness for career decision-making.
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