1. 5th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS of EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES and DEVELOPMENT
PALACIO DE LA MAGDALENA, SANTANDER (SPAIN)
Evaluation of a vocational psychological intervention with adolescents
Sílvia Amado Cordeiro1, Maria do Céu Taveira2, Lúcia Neves3, & Cristina Costa-Lobo1,4
1 Portucalense Institute for Human Development, Porto, Portugal
2 Research Center in Psychology University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
3Gaia Nascente School Grouping, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
4Portucalense University, Porto, Portugal
ABSTRACT
Adolescence has been characterized as a moment of transitions, changes and crises, proper to this stage of development. In this context, also the vocational choices that adolescents have to make can play a crucial role in the psychosocial development of young people. Thus, it is considered that the evaluation of vocational psychological interventions assumes an important role. In this sense, it was evaluated the implementation of a vocational psychological intervention in- group with students of the 9th year of schooling, constituted for a total of seven sessions. Voluntarily participated 22 girls and 18 boys (n = 40), with an average of 14 years (M = 14.08, SD = 0.47), students of a public school in the north of Portugal. To evaluate the vocational intervention, a pre and post-test design was adopted, and was used the Adaptability Scale. The results showed statistically significant differences between the time before the intervention and the moment after the intervention in the global adaptability, as well as in the four dimensions that constitute it. Differences in adaptability according to gender were also analysed, and although these were not significant, the results indicated a higher average in the group of girls when compared with the boys group. These results support the importance of vocational psychological interventions in increasing key career competencies. We conclude about the positive effects of interventions that promote the vocational development of young people, with a focus on the development of offers in this field, particularly in schools.
Key words: Vocational psychological intervention, career adaptability, evaluation, adolescence, school.
METHOD
Was implemented the program of vocational psychological intervention "I belong to my future” (Taveira, 2014; Câmara de Famalicão, ), adapted from the "Bué Future" program (Taveira, Oliveira Gonçalves, & Faria, 2004). The program takes the form of psychological consultation in a small group and is intended for students of the 9th grade and their families. It is structured in seven sessions, two of them with the parents (30 minutes each), and five with 8-9 students (90 minutes each). It is intended to help students to identifying their vocational situation, supporting the process of vocational exploration in the service of an enlightened and committed choice, and in the construction of a vocational identity.
Participants
Participated in the vocational psychological intervention program 40 students attending the 9th grade. Of these, 18 are boys and 22 are girls (n = 40), with ages between 13 and 16 years old (M = 14.08, SD = 0.47), and attend a public school in the north of Portugal.
Instruments
As a pre-test (session 0) and post-test (session 6), we applied the Career Adaptability Scale (Duarte et al., 2012), adapted for the Portuguese population of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS ) (Savickas & Porfeli, 2012). Is constituted by 28 items that allow analyse the career adaptability, specifically four dimensions, concern, control, curiosity and confidence (Duarte et al., 2012).
Procedures
Vocational psychological intervention program was conducted, by a professional trainee psychologist with scientific guidance of a specialist in vocational psychology and career development, between November 2016 and February The intervention process followed four phases (start, explore, compromise and finalize) over the seven sessions, as pre-established in the program structure. Two sessions were held with the parents and respective student, at the beginning and end of the program, in the form of semi-structured interview. The five sessions with the students were held weekly in a room for this purpose. The application of the pre-test and post-test instrument took place in the room intended for the implementation of the program of vocational psychological intervention. All ethical procedures required for intervention and investigation has been complied.
Data Analysis
For the statistical treatment of data, we used the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (Version 21.0). Descriptive statistics analyses were performed, which included measures of central tendency (mean) and dispersion measures (minimum value, maximum value and standard deviation). In order to test the effect of the intervention, inferential statistics analyses were performed. Normality of the data distribution was verified through the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk test. The Student t-test was used to compare the pre-test and post-test means of the total adaptability scale and its dimensions, as well as to analyse differences according to gender. To accept or reject the null hypothesis, the level of significance (α) ≤ 0.05 was set.
RESULTS
Table 1 presents the values of means and standard deviations in the four dimensions of career adaptability and in the global scale, before and after the intervention. There are statistically significant differences between pre and post-test in each of the dimensions of adaptability and in the global scale (t(39) = −5.21, p = 0.00). The table 2 shows the results of the difference in career adaptability according to gender. Although there are no statistically significant differences, it is observed that the group of girls presents a higher mean than the group of boys. This result was expected, since, in the data collected in the pre-test, the girls already had a higher average in the career adaptability.
Table Table 2
Career Adaptability: means, standard deviation, Student t-test Career Adaptability according to gender
DISCUSSION
The main objective of the present study was to analyse the effect of a vocational psychological intervention in a group. The results indicate the existence of statistically significant differences in the means of each dimension and in the global scale of the career adaptability, between the before and after the intervention. These results indicate that the students, in the end of the intervention, perceive themselves to be more concerned about the future, with more control over their career, more curious, and with greater confidence in the resolution of vocational tasks. As observed in previous studies (e.g., Coelho, 2013; Faria, Königstedt, & Taveira, 2011; Gamboa, Paixão, & Jesus, 2011; Königstedt & Taveira, 2010; Spokane & Nguyen, 2015; Taveira & Faria, 2009) this study also concludes that the improvements observed may be positive effects of the vocational psychological intervention. However, It would be important to replicate the present study using a new condition, the existence of a comparison group, without intervention, so that this assumption could be supported empirically and affirmed with greater confidence the effectiveness of the program. With regard to the contributions of this study, it is assumed its relevance for the empirical support of the effects of the vocational psychological intervention at the school context. It is important to accentuate the importance of evaluating vocational programs and interventions with a view to improving them, so as, to become more adjusted to the characteristics and needs of students (Carvalho, 2012). As implications for professional practice, we emphasize the importance of implementing vocational intervention programs in schools, as well as investing in the development of offers in this area (e.g., Herr, 2008; Taveira, 2004). Considering the needs that still exist in the psychology and guidance services of schools (Carita & Peceguina, 2011; Silva, 2016), it would be important to intervene with policy makers in order to establish cooperation with consultants specialized in the field of Vocational and career development. In this way, the number of human resources necessary in this context could be achieved, as well as growing the effectiveness of the vocational intervention itself, through the participation of specialists in this field. It is also important to emphasize the importance of investing in research that assesses the effectiveness and effect of vocational psychological interventions, considering larger samples to those presented in this study, so that the results can be generalized.
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