Short- and Long-Term Outcomes of Two Theoretically Based Career Interventions

• Published in: Nordic Journal of Transitions, Careers and Guidance
• Main Authors: María Dóra Björnsdóttir, Sif Einarsdottir, Guðmundur Bjarni Arnkelsson, Marie S. Hammond, Janet G. Lenz
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Stockholm University Press 2024
• Subjects: career interventions; outcomes; short-term effects; long-term evaluation; Vocational guidance. Career development; HF5381-5386; Iceland
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.16993/njtcg.94; https://doaj.org/article/cb1e123efe804cd48ec1a293054827d2

This quasi-experimental field study evaluated the short- and long-term effects of two short theoretically based career interventions, Icelandic Developmental-focused Intervention (IDI) and Cognitive Information Processing intervention (CIP), with upper secondary school students. In Iceland drop out is high and normative graduation rates low in higher education, indicating that student’s need support in managing transitions. The participants split in the IDI, CIP, and control groups were in their last year of upper secondary schools, age 17 to 28 years, 60% were female. Career indecision, career thoughts, career decision self-efficacy, and global life satisfaction were assessed at pre-test (N = 468), post-test (N = 336), and follow-up (N = 225). At post-test, MANCOVA analysis showed statistically significant difference between the groups as expected. Pairwise comparisons revealed larger difference scores for the CIP group in career decision self-efficacy as compared to the control group, as well as in global life satisfaction as compared to the IDI group. Short-term effects were detected on all the outcome measures, except negative career thoughts (CTI). Short, focused, structured and theoretically founded intervention can have impact at transition points. At the one-year follow-up, MANCOVA analyses did not indicate any statistically significant difference in all measures between groups. Lack of effectiveness for the developmentally based intervention and long-term impact suggests that students need career education from an early age to support career development. The results can support policy makers and practitioners in Iceland in providing effective career interventions in upper secondary education and through the school system. Útdráttur Íslenskir háskólanemar hætta frekar námi eða útskrifast seint í samanburði við nágrannalöndin. Vitað er að náms- og starfsráðgjöf dregur úr brotthvarfi og ýtir undir farsælt náms- og starfsval. Rannsókn með hálf-tilraunasnið var framkvæmd til að meta skammtíma- og langtíma ...