Category: Adults

Veteran Affairs Infographic

Identifying keywords: infographic, SCCT, social cognitive career theory, student veterans

Soldier to Student: Connecting Student Veterans to Career Goals

Kristen Clemens & Mariah Fyke
Graduate students teamed up with Penn State Harrisburg’s Veterans Affairs (VA) Office to brainstorm solutions for connecting student veterans to career-related resources as they transition from active duty to higher education. Recent surveys conducted by the campus VA and a clinical psychology graduate student identified areas for enrichment, such as educating student veterans about campus resources and how they can serve as tools for developing and attaining long term career goals. Student veterans represent a unique demographic as they are actively transitioning between roles, soldier and student, and learning to navigate entirely new systems: civilian lifestyle and academic life. To aid this transition, an infographic was designed to summarize relevant campus resources and expand on how each may serve a student veteran in their exploration of a new vocation. The infographic is informed by social cognitive career theory, emphasizing the change mechanisms of psychoeducation. Each resource listed includes informative language for the student, explaining the unique change mechanism taking place (e.g., counseling, education, interpersonal relations, mentorship, etc.). These resources are meant to be utilitarian and practical in that any item can be used independently, or they can be used collectively depending on the personalized needs of the student veteran.

 

 

Social Justice Needs: A Rapidly Growing Subculture

Student veterans are one of the most rapidly growing demographics of non-traditional students pursuing higher education (Schiavone & Gentry, 2014).

Silhouette of solder transitioning to a professionalA review of the literature resulted in research themes focused on providing financial support and measuring academic achievement (Bailey, Drury, & Grandy, 2019; Schiavone & Gentry, 2014). Additional research foci expand on academic performance and achievement by assessing correlative mental health and combat exposure (Barry, Whiteman, & MacDermid Wadsworth, 2014). Researchers Ghosh and Fouad (2018) identified areas in need of further research, such as the importance of cultivating student adaptability, curiosity, and education of resources for longitudinal occupational engagement. Based on previous findings, there is room for improvement regarding communication, education, and successful delivery of relevant resources focused on career goal setting and action-oriented goal attainment (Brown & Lent, 2017). We aimed to gather information and develop a product that meets the needs of the student veteran population at Penn State Harrisburg.

 

But How??!!

      1. Meet with Penn State Harrisburg’s Veterans Affairs representatives to learn how their office operates, understand the needs of both department and student veteran population on campus.Circle with text desribing the purpose of the infographic
      2. Brainstorm with VA campus representative to develop a pragmatic product that can aid in educating student veterans on relevant resources and cultivate excitement regarding career goal exploration.
      3. Create a product to serve as a psychoeducational guide in the form of an infographic to aid role transition, from soldier to student.
      4. Implement the infographic as a tool that is flexible and easy to use for a variety of student veterans, purposes, and context (i.e., orientation, class selection, personal exploration of values, education of career options, mentorship, etc.).

Theoretical Rationale: Social Cognitive Career Theory

Social cognitive career theory (SCCT) provides a conceptual framework that emphasizes both cognition and environmental factors for developing career-related interests, making occupational decisions, and achieving long-term career success and stability (Brown & Lent, 2017). Student veterans are highly trained, resulting in a structured cognitive schema, and are actively navigating changing environments when choosing to pursue a civilian career path. SCCT informs the components of the infographic by emphasizing psychoeducation as a means to explain the importance and relevance of self-efficacy, goals, and outcome expectations (Brown & Lent, 2017; Niles & Harris-Bowlsbey, 2017).

The social cognitive career theoretical foundation is comprised of both cognitive-behavioral and social learning theory components. Cognitive-behavioral therapy change mechanisms are rooted in schema development and in challenging irrational beliefs, whereas the social learning model emphasizes vicarious learning and role models (Niles & Harris-Bowlsbey, 2017). Due to student veterans’ highly trained schema, there are likely to be irrational thought processes related to the application of skills from previous military roles to that of a student or civilian professional. Additionally, veterans are familiar with vicarious learning and role models due to the hierarchical rank/grade system of the military subculture, which enforces the social learning theory.

Adapted from “Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance” by Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 79-122

The overarching change mechanism for our purpose is psychoeducation; however, each resource within the infographic is a unique opportunity for customized change mechanisms, depending on the need of the student veteran. For example, a student veteran may not have previously had the opportunity to explore topics such as self-beliefs, outcome expectations, or congruence between self-knowledge and external expectations (e.g., family, previous military support systems, friends, etc.).

The SCCT model emphasizes each of these areas of exploration as an integrated process that leads to understanding one’s self (i.e., values, interests, aptitude, skill, strengths) to develop a practical, realistic, and attainable career plan.

 

 

Resources: Veterans Affairs, Campus Resources, and Graduate Students

During this process, it was important to stay in consistent contact with the VA throughout the development of the intervention idea and the subsequent product. Both psychoeducation and the theoretical rationale for the product were provided to the Veterans Affairs (VA) campus representative. This was to ensure that any VA campus representative could use the information to provide student veterans with this resource as a means to explore possible career paths. Our original intention has been maintained and that is for the VA Department to utilize this information to educate student veterans of the resources available and the purpose of this tool to explore their career identities.

The following are the specific resources required for the distribution of this product:

  • Graphic Design Program: The infographic was created using Canva, a free graphic design platform that allows users to create visual content. A pathway infographic template was used to outline the steps that student veterans may take to find success as they work toward their academic goals.
  • Printing Services: Access to a color printing service is needed to print the infographic to distribute to students in the VA office.
  • Access to Private Listserv: To disseminate a digital version of the infographic to student veterans’ emails, the user must have access to the VA’s private listserv.
  • Social Media/Webpage: To distribute the infographic on other digital media platforms, they will need access to those accounts.

 

 

Delivering Services

The infographic is intended to have a flexible, practical application. The purpose of the infographic is to be used to provide necessary psychoeducation, in a utilitarian format, to empower student veterans to explore career identity through adequate resources. Any VA campus representative may use it in the context of providing orientation education and tools to student veterans as they begin their transition to civilian life.

The infographic was presented to the VA department in a PDF format. This product was shared through this medium so that it could be utilized in both a digital or printed form to provide to student veterans for self-directed use. The VA campus representative will be given access to the Canva design to make alterations or updates as needed.

 

 

Expected Outcomes

After identifying the needs of the Veterans Affairs organization and its student veterans, an infographic was then created to outline the steps student veterans may take to achieve their academic and career goals. The purpose of the infographic was to give suggestions as to the steps they could take to aid them in their transition from soldier to a college student and to increase student veterans’ knowledge of what resources are available to them at Penn State Harrisburg.

It is expected that student veterans will use the infographic when enrolling or re-enrolling in post-secondary education. This infographic can be used as a way to guide them through helpful steps to explore different career possibilities and put them on a successful path toward completing their degree. By providing the contact information for campus resources (e.g., Advising, Career Services) as well as external resources (e.g., My Next Move), it is expected that these students will have an easier transition between roles: military, civilian college student, community professional.

To circulate the product across campus, the VA campus representative may collaborate with the other campus services listed on the infographic to distribute the product in those offices.

 

 

The Finished Product: Infographic

The finished product is an infographic, shown here, providing summarized psychoeducation on available resources and explanation for how each option is relevant to career goals. For this intervention, the aim was to create a product that would provide the necessary psychoeducation to empower student veterans who are exploring their career identity through adequate resources. The infographic provided a step-by-step guide to aid students during their transition from soldier to civilian college student.

  1. Office of Student Aid: This is an essential step when enrolling or re-enrolling in post-secondary education. Students need to have their finances in order before they can do anything else. Additionally, meeting with this office provides studeVA Infographicnts with the opportunity to gather more information about scholarships or grants, or even possible employment opportunities.
  2. Academic Advising: To meet their educational goals, register for classes, among other tasks, students should meet with their academic advisors to get them on the right track. Here, they can ensure that they are on the right path to complete their degree.
  3. Career Guidance: The student can meet with career services to evaluate the strengths and skills of their military service and see how those transfer to their academic goals. This is an opportunity to transform their military resume. A link to My Next Move (veteran version) was provided so that they have an opportunity to explore other career interests that they may have.
  4. Mentorship: It is common in the military to form strong social bonds within a unit, and servicemembers often think of their fellow soldiers as their family (Elliott et al., 2011; Ove, 2010). Based on the feedback received from the VA, the need for mentorship as a way to connect to the university is paramount. Penn State has what is called the Global Lions Mentor program, which would be a way for student veterans to navigate any possible challenges that attending a new university may pose.
  5. Check Resources: Finally, we provided a list of resources on the back of the infographic so that student veterans had access to the contact information for each of the services we discussed in one place (i.e., Office of Student Aid, Academic Advising, Career Services, Global Lions Mentors). We additionally provided information for Counseling Services so they would have the opportunity to explore their experiences as they navigated this transitional period. It could be a place for them to find hope and motivation moving forward to be more successful.

Additional Presentation: Veteran Students & Psychoeducational Infographic

 

 

References

Bailey, A. K., Drury, M. B., & Grandy, H. (2019). Student Veterans’ Academic Performance Before and After the Post–9/11 GI Bill. Armed Forces & Society, 45(1), 101–121. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095327X17737283

Barry, A. E., Whiteman, S. D., & MacDermid Wadsworth, S. (2014). Student service members/veterans in higher education: A systematic review. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 51(1), 30– 42. https://doi-org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1515/jsarp-2014-0003 

Blustein, D. L. (2019). The importance of work in an age of uncertainty: The eroding work experience in America. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Brown, S. D., & Lent, R. W. (2017). Social cognitive career theory in a diverse world: Closing thoughts. Journal of Career Assessment, 25(1), 173–180. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072716660061

Elliott, M., Gonzalez, C., & Larsen, B. (2011). US military veterans transition to college: Combat, PTSD, and alienation on campus. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 48(3), 279–296. https://doi.org/10.2202/1949-6605.6293

Ghosh, A. & Fouad, N. A. (2018). Career adaptability and occupational engagement of student veterans. The Career Development Quarterly, 66(2), 182-188. https://doi-org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1002/cdq.12132

Jackson, M. A., Regis, A. K., & Bennett, K. (2020). Career development interventions for social justice addressing needs across the lifespan in educational, community, and employment contexts. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45(1), 79-122. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1994.1027

Ove, T. (2010). In National Guard, a sense of duty bonds comrades. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved from http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10171/1066928-84.stm#ixzz1CFnza1XE

Schiavone, V. & Gentry, D. (2014). Veteran-students in transition at a midwestern university. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 62(1), 29-38. https://doi.org/10.1080/07377363.2014.872007

 

Appendix

Appendix A: VA_Infographic

Appendix B: Presentation

Student Athletics and Work

Preparing for the Workforce as a Student-Athlete

By: Tucker Creevy & James Harness

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

          The current project aimed to design and implement a Canvas workshop that would serve as a platform to prepare student-athletes as they begin to approach the transition from the athletic context to the professional workplace environment. Since research suggests that student-athletes are likely to experience obstacles as they enter the workforce upon graduation, our Canvas workshop is designed to equip student-athletes with the necessary resources to identify their career personality and core values, assess self-efficacy, and learn skills that are important to successful employment such as resume building and interviewing techniques. In addition, student-athletes will have access to a plethora of resources geared to aid the transition to the workforce with topics pertaining to stress management, self-care, burnout prevention, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and time management. It is our hope that the Canvas workshop will provide student-athletes with the appropriate resources to seek successful employment post-graduation as well as transition to the workforce in a manner that conveys confidence and readiness to future employers.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Social Justice Needs: Student-Athletes

          College students in general may experience high amounts of confusion,stress, and distress when attempting to navigate the transitory period between college graduation and entering the professional workforce. Students during this time may face an increase in social pressures to have one’s career and work identities figured out and are typically expected by employers to be knowledgeable and competent in their professional skills and abilities. Furthermore, students may have a lack of guidance in navigating the multitude of varying resources that implement career-oriented skills on their own. When students are able to access beneficial resources and information as it pertains to career-based skills and knowledge, it may be difficult to know how these best translate to work as well as how to implement them on a practical level. 

          While college non-athlete students face large workloads and high amounts of stress, collegiate student-athletes may experience even more elevated rates of stress due to the dual demands of academics and athletics (Wilson & Pritchard, 2005). Student-athletes are typically expected to balance the challenges of college academics while maintaining a peak physical fitness level and the responsibilities associated with sports team membership (Wilson & Pritchard, 2005). Furthermore, research suggests that collegiate student-athletes may face increased numbers of barriers to accessing mental health services when compared to non-athletes due to peer norms and perceived stigmas from teammates as well as coaches (Moreland, Coxe, & Yang, 2018).  

          It is reported that the majority of student-athletes will leave the competitive sport landscape upon graduation from college yet are often not ready to enter the job market (Wendling & Sagas, 2020). As student-athletes typically have extensive athletic and academic demands, this can make it immensely difficult to be properly prepared for a career upon graduation (Wendling & Sagas, 2020). Their commitment to sport may leave little time and energy to engage in non-sport-related activities and plan for their vocational future (Wendling & Sagas, 2020). This results in many student-athletes exhibiting poor career planning and lower career maturity relative to other students, leading to transitional challenges after college (Wendling & Sagas, 2020).  

          Due to not having enough time to fully participate in academic and outside hobbies and interests outside of sport, student-athletes may be more likely to postpone major developmental tasks until they are out of college (Wendling & Sagas, 2020). This may lead to career development deficiencies and a lack of adequate preparation for life after athletics (Wendling & Sagas, 2020). Research posits that planning career-development activities prior to graduating college can be beneficial in reducing strains associated with transitioning outside of sport and in the shift in identity from that of a student-athlete to that of a professional worker (Wendling & Sagas, 2020). Therefore, student-athletes could benefit greatly from the implementation of an educational course in collaboration with PSU Harrisburg Athletics Department that will serve to address the needs of student-athletes through the consolidation of career-based resources, information, assessments, videos, reflections, and discussions in the form of an online canvas class module.

Theoretical Rationale: Super’s Life-Span, Life-Space Theory & Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT)

          To best address the social justice as well as career-based needs of our student athletes at Penn State Harrisburg, we designed a Canvas workshop with objectives modeled through the following theories: 1) Super’s Life-Span, Life-Space Theory (Super, 1990), 2) Holland’s Theory of Career Choice (Holland, 1973), 3) Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994), and 4) Theory of Work Adjustment (TWA) (Dawis & Lofquist, 1984). Super’s Life-Span, Life-Space Theory and Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) served as the overarching theories of interest for our career consultation project, which expanded off Theory of Work Adjustment (TWA) and Holland’s Theory of Career Choice (RIASEC). Super’s Life-Span, Life Space Theory (1990) is centered around the notion that career development is viewed as a continuous, life-long process whereby our interests, attitudes, personality, identity, and work experience shape one’s overall self-concept. Throughout the course of our lives, we maintain and identify with several social roles including but not limited to the following: student, student-athlete, significant other, employee, peer, role model, and so on. It is expected that the roles we obtain throughout the course of our lives will serve to increase our maturity, both from a personal and vocational standpoint.  

            In addition to Super’s Life Span, Life Space Theory (1990), Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) was implemented due to its convergence to Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (1986). SCCT posits that career development is based upon the following three variables: self-efficacy beliefs, outcome expectations, and goals. Self-efficacy is defined as “an individual’s personal beliefs about his or her capabilities to perform particular behaviors or course of action (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 2002). Self-efficacy is contingent upon personal performance accomplishments, vicarious experiences (e.g., observation of peers), social persuasion, and emotional states (e.g., stress and anxiety) (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 2002). Research suggests that student-athletes who reported feeling more satisfied with their school’s academic support services were more likely to report higher levels of career decision-making self-efficacy (Burns, Jasinski, Dunn, & Fletcher, 2013).  

            The rationale as to why these specific theories were chosen is largely attributed to the aims and driving forces of our project: career-based skills building, installation of hope, goal identification, consciousness raising and self-efficacy, and providing psychoeducation on the transition from a college setting and lifestyle to a professional one. Super’s Life-Span, Life-Space Theory was implemented to provide skills via our training modules with the hope of increasing career maturity and coping abilities of student-athletes as they transition from a student-athlete to a professional worker. Through Super’s Theory, it is our goal to improve one’s self-concept through provided resources so that student-athletes may feel confident about handling the roles and responsibilities of the workforce. SCCT was employed to help identify and improve student-athletes’ self-efficacy as it pertains to professional work.  

          First, Holland’s Theory of Career Choice (RIASEC) served as the foundational model to aid career exploration and identity development. Through the utilization of RIASEC scores, student-athletes will be granted the opportunity to explore their identity based on their interests and personality types. The goal is that student-athletes will explore potential careers that are both congruent and consistent with their RIASEC scores. Second, SCCT will be implemented due to the strong emphasis on self-efficacy. Self-efficacy will be assessed through the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), which is a 10-item questionnaire designed to measure one’s ability to cope with difficult life situations. Overall, the central focus of this career consultation project is to help student athletes identify ways to market their skills obtained from both the academic and athletic context. It is our hope that this project will equip student-athletes with the appropriate resources to properly assess and identify marketable skills as well as provide effective means to communicate these results whether through resume or interview. Last, we hope that the aforementioned resources provided through our Canvas workshop serve to increase career maturity and coping abilities (Super, 1990) of student-athletes as they begin to develop their self-concept as a working professional outside of the athletic context. 

Overview of the SCCT model
Overview of the SCCT model

Resources Needed

          As this Canvas course is asynchronous, does not necessitate a facilitator, is online, and is done at the students’ own pace, there are not large requirements for students to access and complete this course. Students primarily need a working electronic device such as a computer, tablet, smartphone, etc., in order to access the course page through the Canvas website. Students also need to be enrolled in Penn State Harrisburg, have access to their student WebAccess, Canvas email, and login information, and have the ability to access the Career Services department in order to participate in the mock interview and resume critique services offered there. Lastly, if students wished to access physical copies of any resources posted within the course, they must have access to a printer or copier. Any moderator or individual who wishes to restructure the format of the course, add new resources, update outdated information, or monitor the progress of students who work through the course must have access and knowledge of the structure of the Canvas system 

Delivering Services

         The finalized Canvas workshop was delivered to Rashaan Carlton, who currently serves as the Athletic Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Penn State Harrisburg. Given that the project is designed to the specific population of student-athletes, accessibility and implementation of the Canvas workshop will be under the direct supervision of Rashaan Carlton. It is our hope that the finalized product will be adopted and employed by Career Services at Penn State Harrisburg to best address career-related concerns of prospective and current student-athletes.

Expected Outcomes: Ready for the Workforce

          Upon completion of the Canvas course, students ideally should be able to gain a wide range of knowledge, information, skills, and guidance that may help them successfully tackle challenges faced as a current student-athlete and those associated with the transition towards a professional working role. Specifically, these may include helping student-athletes: 

  • Identify their skills and interests that may apply to future work and careers 
  • Build their self-efficacy and confidence in their own abilities 
  • Create their professional resume, cover letter, and curriculum vitae 
  • Learn job interview skills and techniques 
  • Cope with increased workloads as a student-athlete as well as with the transition after graduating 
  • Learn about staying active, healthy sleeping patterns, and proper nutrition after they move on from their collegiate role 
  • Learn about common mental health challenges faced by those during this transition and how to help

As time goes on, some of the posted resources, assessments, and/or assignments may become outdated and new information will be required to provide the most up to date knowledge for students to thrive in college and the workforce. Therefore, it would be prudent for moderators and editors to provide necessary updates on the information within the course. Furthermore, providing some kind of reflective survey that allows students to process and comment on the efficacy of the course, provide feedback, and point out the least and most helpful areas may promote the positive growth of the online modules longitudinally. It would also be beneficial to monitor student activity within the course in order to identify how often the class is utilized by students so that necessary changes could be made in the future.

The Finished Product

Canvas Workshop
Canvas Workshop

References

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. 

Burns, G.N., Jasinski, D., Dunn, S., & Fletcher, D. (2013). Academic support services and career decision-making self-efficacy in student athletes. The Career Development Quarterly, 61(2), 161-167. doi: 10.1002/j.2161-0045.2013.00044.x                 

Dawis, R. V., & Lofquist, L. H. (1984). A psychological theory of work adjustment. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. doi: 10.1006/jvbe.1993.1037           

Holland, J. L. 1973. Making vocational choices. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.        

Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of  career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45(1), 79-122. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1006/jvbe.1994.1027 

Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (2002). Social cognitive career theory. In D. Brown (Ed.), Career choice and development (pp. 255– 311). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 

Moreland, J. J., Coxe, K. A., & Yang, J. (2018). Collegiate athletes mental health services  utilization: A systematic review of conceptualizations, operationalizations, facilitators, and barriers. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 7(1), 58–69. doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2017.04.009 

Super, D.E. (1990). A life-span, life-space approach to career development. In D. Brown & L. Brooks, The Jossey-Bass management series and The Jossey-Bass social and behavioral science series. Career choice and development: Applying contemporary theories to practice (p. 197–261). Jossey-Bass. 

Schwarzer, R., & Jerusalem, M. (1995). Generalized Self-Efficacy scale. In J. Weinman, S. Wright, & M. Johnston, Measures in health psychology: A user’s portfolio. Causal and control beliefs (pp. 35-37). Windsor, UK: NFER-NELSON.

Wendling, E., & Sagas, M. (2020). An application of the social cognitive career theory model of career self-management to college athletes’ career planning for life after sport. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00009 

Wilson, G. & Pritchard, M. (2005). Comparing sources of stress in college student athletes and  non-athletes. The Online Journal of Sports Psychology, 7(1). Retrieved 3 May, 2020, from http://amyburris.atspace.com/StressPDF.pdf 

How to Choose Your Major at Penn State Harrisburg

Choosing Your Major Based on Interests and Outcomes That Matter

Kirin Uzar & Bee Yang
The purpose of this consultation project was to aid students at Penn State Harrisburg in choosing a major and a career field that will fit with their values and interest while still having a return on investment. To accomplish this, we used Psychology of Working Theory as well as Holland’s Theory. In matching interests with potential majors, we aim to aid students in finding careers that satisfies their needs for survival and allows the them to meet their self-determination needs as well. This goal was accomplished using our five resources, 1) a narrated PowerPoint video, 2) a PowerPoint, 3) a RIASEC worksheet, 4) a Choosing Your Major Worksheet and 5) a Discussion Question guide.

 

Social Justice Needs: The Cost of Education

The population for our consultation project was prospective college students and first or second year students who are choosing a major and/or career. These students specifically request a large return on investment of their tuition costs for their degree. Our consultation project was for Penn State Harrisburg’s Career Services with Katy Baker. Career and Admissions counselors work with these students to find a major and requested a resource to aid them with these students.

This project aimed to help students find a major that would lead to career that would yield a high return on investment while still fitting with their interests and values. This is important because attending college is more expensive than ever. Forbes (2020) estimates that national student loan debt is over 1.6 trillion dollars and the average college grad owes over $32,000 in student loan debt. Cilluffo (2019) found that 34% of adults age 18-29 report having student loans. When considering adults with a bachelor’s degree, 49% report having student loans. Cilluffo (2019) also report that college graduates with student loans are more likely to report difficulty getting by or just getting by than college graduates without student loans.

Forbes (2020) also estimated that the average salary with an undergrad degree is only $50,000. At this salary, it would be difficult to pay off the student loans, as well as other loans while maintaining a comfortable lifestyle. Thus, these students would like to maximize their return on investment with their college degree to be able to pay these loans as well as achieve their personal self-fulfillment.

To help these students find their interests and careers that match their interests, an online interest profiler O*NET (www.mynextmove.org/interests/ip) was utilized. Students were guided through the interest profiler via a narrated PowerPoint and were tasked with completing the accompanying worksheet titled: Choosing a Major. Completing the interest profiler allows students to find their interests and careers that are common for people with these interests. Upon completion of the profiler, a list of potential careers is provided along with additional information and requirements for each career such as knowledge, skills, abilities, education, and personality traits. Students were then directed to college board (https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/majors-careers) to explore the degrees that are required for the careers that they are interested in. Penn State Harrisburg students were then directed to the list of majors offered on campus (https://harrisburg.psu.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs) and provided contact information to meet with advisors and career counselors.

Theoretical Rationale: Psychology of Working Theory and Holland’s Theory

When considering the population that this consultation project is serving it is important to recognize that these students lack experience in careers. This lack of experience makes the interest focused Holland’s Theory more appropriate than other theories.

Our consultation project utilized Psychology of Working Theory (PWT), Holland’s Theory, and RIASEC scores. Psychology of Working Theory states that people work to fulfill three needs; the need for survival and power, the need for social connection and contribution, and the need for self-determination (Blustein et al., 2008).

Through working, basic survival needs like subsistence, water, and safety can be met. After meeting these needs, working individuals can then achieve their need for self-fulfillment. This is consistent with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow, 1968). Tied closely with survival needs are the needs for psychological, social, and economic power (Blustein, 2006). In working, individuals obtain status, money, and privilege, which allows the worker more control (power) than without working. Working also allows for connection with others in social and cultural environments (Blustein, 2006). Social connections are important as support to avoid negative impacts of social isolation such as heightened sensitivity to social threats, impaired executive functioning, sleep iss,ues, and impaired physical and emotional wellbeing (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2014). Work also provides a feeling of contribution to a larger societal system which offers a greater sense on connectivity (Blustein et al., 2008). Finally, work provides opportunity for self-determination. Work provides money and power which may allow individuals to control other areas of their lives. However, many individuals are not able to select careers that match their personal interests which may impede their ability to express their self-concepts while meeting their needs (Blustein et al., 2008). Blustein (2006) suggested that adding value congruence may promote greater internalization and help self-regulation in work. Value congruence refers to the degree to which the individuals’ values match that of their work environment.

This consultation project aimed to add value congruence with PWT by utilizing Holland’s Theory and RIASEC scores.

A picture showing the six Holland dimensions; Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional, and Realistic.
Retrieved from https://personalityjunkie.com/holland-code-riasec-career-interests-myers-briggs-types/

Holland’s Theory states that personalities and interests can be split into six dimensions represented in the RIASEC scores. Each dimension describes a broad field of similar careers. Each dimension also describes individuals and their preferences, values and motivations (Spokane et al., 2002). Matching the individual’s interests with potential careers that are congruent with these interests may lead to greater internalization and self-regulation in work as discussed by Blustein (2006).

Holland’s theory is suitable for college students because college students often have a lack of work experience and are not going through a work adjustment. Interests and values are a good starting point due to this lack of experience. Additionally, Holland’s theory is straight forward and is visually appealing. The population that is being served by this project is specifically requesting the best return-on-investment as possible from their college degree. Therefore, it appears as though students requesting this service are primarily focused on meeting the need for survival and having their job/career meet their financial demands. By utilizing Holland’s theory and the RIASEC codes, our project aims to transition these students from a perspective of surviving to a future that would also allow them to thrive in a career that meets their survival need and their self-determination need.

Resources Needed

  • Preferably, a professional with experience/knowledge about career counseling theories and/or an individual that has worked through the video on this topic. 
  • A computer with internet access is needed to access this consultation project.  
  • A list of potential majors at the university at which this consultation project is being utilized.  

Delivering Services

Delivery of this project can be applied to many settings; admissions events for prospective students, First Year Seminars, and one-on-one advising/career counseling appointments. To ideally implement this project, the students’ advisor should sit through the process with the student or have a meeting scheduled shortly thereafter the student has completed the worksheet. Delivery is straightforward:

  • The “Choosing Your Major Worksheet” should be downloaded or printed to document RIASEC scores, potential careers, and majors of interest.
  • Based on preference, the student and advisor can either follow along with the PowerPoint or the narrated video.
  • After completing the worksheet, the student and their advisor should consider the “CC Discussion Questions”, and make any more necessary appointments (e.g., Office of Student Aid).

Expected Outcomes: A Plan for College

  • Students will become knowledgeable in their personality type and careers that are best suited to their type. 
  • Students will narrow down several careers of interest based on matters of importance such as financial outlook and projected growth in the field. 
  • Students will have a major chosen to discuss with their advisor who can then instruct on how to declare a major and what classes to take. 

These outcomes can be measured by consulting the completion of the student’s “Choosing Your Major” worksheet.

The Finished Product

All components of this project can be accessed on Penn State’s Box website. The folder on Box includes:

  • A PowerPoint, and a video that provide instruction on how to choose a major based on career outcomes.
  • A worksheet to follow along with the video and/or PowerPoint, with spaces to write down the students’ RIASEC scores, potential careers, and majors of interest.
  • A handout with more information about RIASEC scores.
  • A list of discussion questions with links to further information that the student should consider with their advisor(s).
References

Blustein, D. L. (2006). The psychology of working: A new perspective for career development, counseling, and public policy. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Blustein, D. L., Kenna, A. C., Gill, N., & DeVoy, J. E. (2008). The psychology of working: A new framework for counseling practice and public policy. The Career Development Quarterly, 56(4), 294-308.

Cacioppo, J. T., & Cacioppo, S. (2014). Social relationships and health: The toxic effects of perceived social isolation. Social and personality psychology compass, 8(2), 58-72. doi:10.1111/spc3.12087

Cilluffo, A. (2019). 5 facts about student loans. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/08/13/facts-about-student-loans/

Maslow, A. (1968). Toward a psychology of being (2nd ed.). New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold

Spokane, A. R., Luchetta, E. J., & Richwine, M. H. (2002). Holland’s theory of personalities in work environments. Career choice and development, 4(2002), 373-426.

Career Self-Efficacy & LGBTQ Young Adults

Career Consultation: Central PA LGBT Center

John Ashman & Nikki Richards
Photo by Mark Boss on Unsplash
Photo by Mark Boss on Unsplash
  This project aims to provide resources and facilitate an open dialogue regarding identity, empowerment, lived experiences, and career development among LGBTQ+ populations. Working with the Central Pennsylvania LGBT Center, the authors were able to determine specific needs of the center and the individuals it serves, develop activities and resources relevant to these needs, and implement the intervention in a group session. The materials utilized in this intervention can easily be adapted for use with other individuals or groups.

Social Justice Needs: Overcoming Societal Barriers

LGBTQ+ populations represent a variety of identities including gender and sexual minorities and fluid identities. These identity statuses have been associated with increased psychological distress (Scharer & Taylor, 2017), symptoms of depression and anxiety (Feigt, 2018), increased risk of suicide (Clements-Noelle et. al., 2006), institutional discrimination (Livingston et al., 2019), and workplace discrimination (Marcus et al., 2020). In addition to discriminatory experiences faced in the workplace, it has been suggested that LGBT populations may have inhibited career development as they process their sexual and/or gender identities through adolescence and into emerging adulthood (Huang, 2020).

The Central Pennsylvania LGBT Center is an organization which aims to holistically improve well-being for LGBTQ+ groups in the Harrisburg area and offers a variety of programs targeting social, educational, and cultural engagement (Central Pennsylvania LGBT Center, n.d.). An exploratory meeting with staff at the center highlighted the need for individual empowerment and identity exploration as it relates to careers. To meet these needs, the current intervention aims to facilitate an open dialogue surrounding career, identity, and experiences in the workplace in order to empower LGBT group members and emphasize individual strengths and ways in which these strengths may relate to career goals and expectations. Additionally, it was mentioned that there are some more basic needs which many group members may not have met (i.e. physical and safety needs) which may take priority over more aspirational career goals. Thus, resources pertaining to food, housing, and mental, physical, and reproductive health are included in the materials so that group members may explore them on their own time and take advantage of any resources relevant to their individual needs.

Theoretical rationale: Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT)

Diagram showing SCCT reciprocal causation
SCCT: Reciprocal Causation

 

The core of our project rests on the ideas of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) (Lent et al., 2002). The core of SCCT rests on the idea of reciprocal causation between behavior, the individual, and the environment. This advantage of this viewpoint is its ability to capture holistic picture of an individual’s work experience. Given that our intervention relies on personal dialogue and a broader analysis of the individual within their career, SCCT offers an excellent theoretical grounding for our intervention.

In addition to reciprocal causation, two other concepts involved in SCCT include self-beliefs and outcome expectations. Self-beliefs are simply one’s beliefs about their ability to perform tasks. In career terms, this is the individual’s belief that they are able to perform well in their occupation. Self-beliefs are influenced by a number of things including: past behavior, role models, social persuasion, physiology, and affect/temperament. Outcome  expectations are an individual’s beliefs about what will happen if they perform certain behaviors. Essentially, outcome expectations can be summarized in the question “If I do this, what will happen?”.

SCCT utilizes this basis to provide three distinct models; one explaining interest, another explaining choice, and the third explaining performance. Our intervention most closely examines the interest and choice models.

  • Interest Model: Interest model is the most straightforward application of SCCT and assumes that one’s personal interests stem from a combination of self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations. This implies that our interests are not strictly organic, rather, they are a product of many different experiences and influences that happen over the course of our lives.
  • Choice Model: The choice model is a cyclical model that determines what choices individuals make, and if they continue to make those choices. It is largely based upon feedback, perceived barriers, and perseverance. Given the historical precedence of negative feedback and systemic barriers that face the LGBTQ+ community, discussions following the choice model serve as a critical area for career intervention.

Through discussion of the participants multitudes of lived experiences, this intervention provides a basis for an in-depth examination of participants self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations in the workplace environment. The process begins simply with basic questions such as “What is work to you?’ and “What do you expect from a place you work at?”, but further deepens into a broader discussion of workplace microaggressions, perceived barriers, and how others as well as media at large shape our perceptions of ourselves. This also includes a discussion of how legislation in PA and Harrisburg interact, and what impact they have on the lives of our participants. Through this, we hope participants began to examine their interests and choices from a personal and systemic viewpoint that helps promote insight and personal growth.

While this is a broad approach to a career intervention, we chose this direction with the idea that one’s lived experience plays a critical role in how one chooses to engage in the workplace environment. Therefore, this examination hopes to develop critical consciousness, or the ability to use critical thinking to deepen their understanding of reality and devise solutions to problems. Interventions aimed at increasing critical consciousness have been shown to have efficacy in decreasing internalized oppression and increasing collective efficacy (Chan & Mak, 2020)

In addition to SCCT, one of our activities functioned as a modified “Pie of Life” used in Super’s Career Theory (Super, 1980). While the breadth of Super’s theory is beyond the scope of our intervention, the “Pie of Life” represents a way of visualizing how much time one devotes to their roles in any given day. Our implementation did not use the time component, focusing on each individual’s subjective perception of the extent their roles define them as a person. For example, a person who feels largely defined by their sexual orientation or gender identity would allocate a large portion of the pie to that role and smaller portions to other various identities. As such, this focuses more on a discussion of role salience, or, the importance placed the roles played within different domains such as social, family, and workplace.

The Life Career Rainbow - Stress Management Skills From MindTools.com
Pie of Life example

Resources you’ll need

Physical resources:

  • A comfortable and safe physical space to hold the intervention
  • Handouts containing information regarding
    • Coping skills for workplace microaggressions
    • Locally available resources including
      • Healthcare
      • Housing
      • Food
      • Transportation
    • Handout information should be made available online
  • Blank paper and drawing materials for the Pie of Life activity

Person/System resources:

  • One or two individuals with guidelines for intervention (this can be the leader of an existing group)
    • Leaders should be mindful of how their lived experience influences their perception of careers and working
    • Leaders should also familiarize themselves with legislation regarding LGBTQ+ rights in their area.
  • A willing group
    • Preferably an existing group that is cohesive and feels safe communicating with one another
    • Has members with a diverse background of lived experiences
    • Has a leader willing to engage and follow up with members

Delivering services

The intervention is intended to be performed as an active discussion with an established group. As discussed in resources needed, it is critical that the intervention be performed in a comfortable, safe environment as well as a group leader willing to facilitate the interactions. The discussion should take place over 45 minutes to an hour, with a 10 to 20-minute break halfway through if necessary. Given that the discussion involves intersectional issues such as microaggressions and discrimination, group leaders should be flexible with the content of the discussion and allow space for emotional processing if necessary. Topics discussed include an exploration of work schemas/outcome expectations, an exploration of identity, the sharing of lived experiences as well as experiences with microaggressions, and finally a discussion of both mindfulness and community resources that participants can use in their day to day lives.

Expected Outcomes: Empowering the Individual

Photo by Max Böhme on Unsplash
Photo by Max Böhme on Unsplash

The foremost goal of this intervention is to build empowerment in the participants, and provide a groundwork for continued exploration of career in the group as well as other groups at the LGBT Center of Central PA. Participants should achieve a greater awareness of how their own self-beliefs and outcome expectations were formed and develop a more internal locus of control. Finally, they should have greater access to coping skills and communal resources allowing them to better cope with societal factors such as microaggressions. Self-report data from group members regarding their satisfaction at work, feelings of empowerment, and their ability to better cope with microaggressions may serve as a method of tracking these outcomes.

The Finished Product

Handout with resources and coping skills
Resources and Coping Skills Handout

 

First page of group conversation outline
Group Conversation Outline Part 1
Second page of group conversation outline
Group Conversation Outline Part 2
References
Central PA LGBT Center. (n.d.). Retrieved May 04, 2020, from https://centralpalgbtcenter.org/
Chan, R. C. H., & Mak, W. W. S. (2020). Liberating and empowering effects of critical reflection on collective action in LGBT and cisgender heterosexual individuals. American Journal of Community Psychology, 65(1-2), 63-77. http://dx.doi.org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1002/ajcp.12350
Clements-Nolle, K., Marx, R., & Katx, M. (2006). Attempted suicide among transgender persons: The influence of gender-based discrimination and victimization. Journal of Homosexuality, 51 (3), 53-70. Retrieved from Women’s Studies International Database
Feigt, N. D. (2018). The relationship of gender-based microaggressions and internalized sexism on mental health outcomes: A mother-daughter study. All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 7315. Retrieved from:https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/7315
Huang, J. (2020). A program to promote career development and counseling services in high schools with LGBT students. In M. A. Jackson, A. K. Regis & K. Bennett (Eds.), Career development interventions for social justice: Addressing needs across the lifespan in educational, community, and employment contexts; career development interventions for social justice: Addressing needs across the lifespan in educational, community, and employment contexts (pp. 61-80, Chapter xviii, 318 Pages) Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham, MD. Retrieved from http://ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/docview/2348279261?accountid=13158
Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (2002). Social cognitive career theory. Career choice and development, 4, 255-311. Retrieved from: http://www.unikore.it/phocadownload/userupload/aa01ad538b/CareerDevelopment.pdf#page=276
Livingston, N. A., Berke, D. S., Ruben, M. A., Matza, A. R., & Shipherd, J. C. (2019). Experiences of trauma, discrimination, microaggressions, and minority stress among trauma-exposed LGBT veterans: Unexpected findings and unresolved service gaps. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 11(7), 695-703. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1037/tra0000464
Marcus, N. L., Logie, C. H., Jones, N., Bryan, N., & Levermore, K. (2020). “It’s because of our culture”: Navigating gender norms and coping with sexual stigma among lesbian, bisexual, and queer women in jamaica. In N. Nakamura, & C. H. Logie (Eds.), LGBTQ mental health: International perspectives and experiences; LGBTQ mental health: International perspectives and experiences (pp. 59-74, Chapter xii, 182 Pages) American Psychological Association, Washington, DC. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1037/0000159-005 Retrieved from http://ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/docview/2303279211?accountid=13158
Scharer, J. L., & Taylor, M. (2018). Coping with sexual orientation microaggressions: Implications for psychological distress and alcohol use. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 22 (3), 261-279. https://doi.org/10.1080/19359705.2017.1402842
Super, D. E. (1980). A life-span, life-space approach to career development. Journal of vocational behavior, 16(3), 282-298. https://doi.org/10.1016/0001-8791(80)90056-1

 

Social Anxiety & Work in College Students

Worrying About Work

Josh Ramirez & Josh Lustick

aerial view of people sitting down near table with assorted laptop computers

College students experience increased focus on career training and development throughout their educational journeys.  For many, this may result in significant stress related to exploring job options, securing a position, and understanding the norms and expectations associated with their chosen career fields.  This stress can be exacerbated for students who experience anxiety, depression, or other mental health symptoms.  While students typically have access to career and counseling services provided by their college or university, these resources may not be utilized by those who experience social anxiety for a variety of reasons.  The following outlines Worrying About Work, a self-help workbook designed at assisting students who are experiencing work-related distress to manage their symptoms through a variety of activities and resources.  Further, the workbook can be used individually, with a trained counselor, or as a starting point for students who seek to enter counseling.

Social Justice Needs: Economic and Personal Toll of Stress

According to the American Institute of Stress (2019), 83% of workers suffer from work-related stress. This stress results in roughly 1 million workers missing work each day. These workers might be staying home in order to finish work that they’re behind on, to avoid a conflict, or they could be taking a much needed break, but regardless of the reason, this stress results in up to $300 billion in losses each year (American Institute of Stress, 2019). Depression that forms from stress is a large factor as it has lead to $51 billion in losses and $26 billion in treatment costs. The economic loss is far from the worst outcome, however. The American Institute of Stress (2019) also notes that work-related stress causes upward of 120,000 deaths each year.

Although there are large consequences of work-related stress and anxiety, these feelings are experienced at the individual level. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (n.d.)  states that 7.1% of adults meet the criteria for social anxiety, and this social anxiety can exacerbate work-related stress further. Social anxiety has notable work-related outcomes such as trouble dealing with problems, difficulty maintaining work relationships, issues with setting and meeting deadlines, and periodically leading workers to turning down promotions (National Institute of Mental Health, 2017). With economic and personal impacts this large there is a need for resources to help address the social anxiety that many Americans experience. Penn State Harrisburg’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is aware of the struggles its students have with social anxiety and stress in the work place and worked collaboratively in the completion of Worrying About Work.

Theoretical Rationale: Theory of Work Adjustment

The Theory of Work Adjustment (TWA) states that differing values between the worker and the workplace leads to disequilibrium. It is this disequilibrium that leads to the work-related stress and anxiety that is experienced by millions workers on a daily basis. Their work may require things such as public speaking and high levels of personal work that some may be uncomfortable with, so the more they engage in these activities the worse they may feel. In order to address this disequilibrium, TWA offers three approaches: find a new job, change the environment, and change the self.  Changing the self is the approach that Worrying About Work focuses on.

TWA refers to changing the self as reactive adjustment, and given the nature of social anxiety and many jobs this is believed to be the best approach. Social anxiety could hinder reactive adjustment as some may not feel comfortable due to a lack of coping strategies or difficulties being with assertive. Further, some jobs have features that you simply cannot change. Lawyers often engage in public speaking and police officers typically need to be confrontational, so it is unlikely that these work environments would be changeable. To account for these difficulties, Worrying About Work aims to address the inner causes of anxiety and stress in order to restore the imbalance that has lead to disequilibrium. Worrying About Work utilizes techniques that research has shown to have a substantial impact on social anxiety and stress such as assertiveness training exercises, mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, and psychoeducation (Aldao et al., 2014; Goldin et al., 2010; Lock, 2016).

Resources Needed

Resources required for implementing and utilizing Worrying About Work include (1) college or university counseling office space for conducting counseling sessions with workbooks and/or displaying workbooks for student access, (2) electronic devices (e.g., computer, tablet, smartphone, etc.) with internet access to download digital copies of the Worrying About Work workbook, (3) printer or copier to produce print copies of workbook, (4) writing materials (e.g., pens, pencils, etc.), (5) trained, well-qualified counselors to present workbook with students and explain its contents, direct students to further resources, and/or to work with students on workbooks in individual counseling, if desired, and (6) time – for training staff with workbook, completing workbooks with clients in counseling, and/or allowing students to complete workbook on their own.

Delivering Services

To deliver services, college counseling centers should first upload the digital copy of Worrying About Work to their resources webpage, as well as produce print copies, if desired.  Then, centers should find appropriate places to display the physical copies of the workbooks, such as in the counseling and/or career services offices.  Counseling staff should be trained on the workbook’s contents and its intended uses, as well as appropriate career and counseling theories and practice.  Counselors then should be encouraged to share the workbook with current and/or potential clients with whom it may be beneficial.  Additional staff working in the counseling/career centers (e.g., receptionist, office manager, etc.), should also be able to direct students inquiring about resources, but not seeking individual counseling, to the physical and digital copies of the workbooks.  This allows for the workbook to be made available for students either to complete individually or with a trained counselor.

Expected Outcomes: A Reduction in Anxiety

Expected outcomes for successful implementation of Worrying About Work with students include self-reported increases in usage of positive, effective coping skills for anxiety symptoms, levels of assertiveness and communicative skills, and knowledge of rights and responsibilities as a worker.  Additionally, reductions are expected in self-reported anxiety symptoms by students in counseling and the amount of students receiving counseling services for anxiety related to work.  To measure outcomes, counseling centers should develop and distribute a self-report questionnaire regarding the workbook and its effectiveness to students in counseling and those who have accessed it without counseling services.  Questionnaires can be distributed either physically via print copies or digitally via email link, and contain questions to assess students’ ratings on the workbooks’ contents, presentation, relevance to their lives, and impact on symptoms/overall functioning.  Both open- and closed-ended questions can be utilized to acquire qualitative and quantitative data.  Modifications and additions to the workbook can be made as deemed appropriate following analysis of the data from completed questionnaires.

Finished Product

Worrying About Work is a free, self-help workbook aimed at addressing social anxiety and stress in the workplace. Resources are provided at the end of the workbook for those who may desire additional help with their anxiety and stress. You got this!

Worrying About Work

three people sitting in front of table, working on computers, and laughing together

References

Aldao, A., Jazaieri, H., Goldin, P. R., & Gross, J. J. (2014). Adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies: Interactive effects during CBT for social anxiety disorder.Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 28(4), 382-389. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.03.005

American Institute of Stress (2019). 42 worrying workplace stress statistics. https://www.stress.org/42-worrying-workplace-stress-statistics

Anxiety and Depression Association of America (n.d.). Retrieved from https://adaa.org/managing-stress-anxiety-in-workplace/anxiety-disorders-in-workplace

Belmont, J. (2016). 150 more group therapy activities & tips (p. 61). PESI Publishing & Media.

Belmont, J. (2016). 150 more group therapy activities & tips (p. 70). PESI Publishing & Media.

Belmont, J. (2016). 150 more group therapy activities & tips (p. 205). PESI Publishing & Media.

Belmont, J. (2016). 150 more group therapy activities & tips (p. 206). PESI Publishing & Media.

Goldin, P. R., & Gross, J. J. (2010). Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on emotion regulation in social anxiety disorder.Emotion, 10(1), 83-91. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1037/a0018441

Lock, A. (2016, November 18). Overcoming social anxiety through assertive communication. National Social Anxiety Center. https://nationalsocialanxietycenter.com/2016/11/18/overcoming-social-anxiety-through-assertive-communication/

McKay, M., Wood, J.C., & Brantley, J. (2019). The dialectical behavior therapy skills workbook: Practical DBT exercises for learning mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation & distress tolerance (2nd ed., pp. 18-20). New Harbringer Publications, Inc.

McKay, M., Wood, J.C., & Brantley, J. (2019). The dialectical behavior therapy skills workbook: Practical DBT exercises for learning mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation & distress tolerance (2nd ed., pp. 94-106). New Harbringer Publications, Inc.

McKay, M., Wood, J.C., & Brantley, J. (2019). The dialectical behavior therapy skills workbook: Practical DBT exercises for learning mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation & distress tolerance (2nd ed., pp. 176-177). New Harbringer Publications, Inc.

National Institute of Mental Health (2017). Social Anxiety Disorder. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/social-anxiety-disorder.shtml

Phifer, L.W., Crowder, A.K., Elsenraat, R., & Hull, R. (2017). CBT toolbox for children and adolescents (p. 172). PESI Publishing & Media.

Phifer, L.W., Crowder, A.K., Elsenraat, R., & Hull, R. (2017). CBT toolbox for children and adolescents (p. 180). PESI Publishing & Media.

Phifer, L.W., Crowder, A.K., Elsenraat, R., & Hull, R. (2017). CBT toolbox for children and adolescents (p. 181). PESI Publishing & Media.

Coping with Work-Related Microaggressions

Microaggressions International Students Experience at Workplaces

By: Prathma Sharma & Kira McElwain

We created an infographic to help international students learn to identify microaggressions in their workplace or at their internship site. Our hope is that it provides some validation to those who have experienced microaggressions and tried to brush them off as unimportant. We also provided some information regarding the multitude of ways that microaggressions can impact an individual’s life. There are some suggestions for steps to take if you have experienced a microaggression as well as some additional resources to offer more support. 

Social Justice Needs: Identifying and Addressing Microaggressions International Students Experience

A wall graffiti of an asian woman
Photo by Max-Jakob Beer on Unsplash

Currently, there are over 1 million international students studying in the U.S. (Institute of International Education, 2018). This number appears to growing larger and larger with each passing year, even increasing by 1.5% from 2017 to 2018, with the U.S. being the top host of international students in the world (Institute of International Education, 2018). Penn State Harrisburg alone reports having students from over 25 different countries. Unfortunately, along with all of the good things that go along with studying abroad, being an international student also comes with some downsides. International students typically endorse higher levels of homesickness and perceived discrimination, as well as experience linguistic difficulties, cultural barriers, a lack of social support, social isolation, educational system differences, loneliness, homesickness, racial discrimination, and financial hardship (Lian & Wallace, 2018; Poyrazli & Lopez, 2007) 

Microaggressions are subtle verbal and nonverbal exchanges that communicate discrimination towards non-dominant racial or ethnic groups and traditionally oppressed groups (Sue, 2010). As international students report higher levels of perceived discrimination, it seems likely that they would be experiencing a greater amount of microaggressions than a traditional, domestic student. Sue and colleagues (2007) identified common themes from marginalizing experiences of international students. Some of these themes were: pathologising cultural values and communication styles of international students, invalidating international issues and perspectives, assumption of homogeneity, exclusions and social avoidance at workplaces/schools, invisibility, and environmental and systemic microaggressions. The negative messages behind these microaggressions were that international students do not belong in the mainstream American culture, that they have limited contribution to the society, and that their needs are not important enough to addressed on a systemic level.  

In the workplace international workers will, in an attempt to adapt and fit in with their host culture, often go without reporting the microaggressions that they experience for fear of it being labeled petty, trivial, or nonracial (Shenoy-Packer, 2015). Additionally, specifically in an internship setting, some international students have identified that their supervisors were not culturally or racially sensitive and made comments that were demeaning and centered around stereotypical assumptions (Constantine & Sue, 2007).  

As international students appear to be a particularly vulnerable group, we decided to create a easy to access infographic that would provide them with resources to help them learn to not only identify microaggressions, but explain why it’s important to not just brush them off, steps they can take to address the situation, and additional resources they can use in order to seek more information. 

Theoretical Rationale: Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT)

We felt that the concerns of international students could be best understood and explained by the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent et al., 1994). SCCT draws heavily from Bandura’s social cognitive theory (1986), as it extends the concepts of self-efficacy beliefs, outcome expectations, and goal attainment to career development. Self-efficacy refers to a person’s beliefs in their performance capabilities. A person’s self-efficacy beliefs are influenced by their past accomplishments, learning by observation from others, social persuasion, and their physiological states. These self-efficacy beliefs affect a person’s outcome expectations, which are beliefs about consequences of a particular action. More specifically, SCCT’s interest, choice, and performance models (Lent, 2013) explain that our career interests are predicted by outcome expectancies and self‐efficacy beliefs. These career interests predict career goals, which in turn lead to behaviors related to choosing and practicing activities, which then contribute to performance attainments. 

With regards to international students, microaggressions may negatively influence their self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations (Figure 1). For example, a qualitative study on experiences of African-American college students found that racial discrimination and microaggressions lowered their self-esteem, had negative impact on their sense of self, and led to negative perceptions of their campus environment (Harper et al., 2011). International students are also at risk for internalizing negative stereotypes and beliefs which are directed at them (Sue, 2010). These negative internalizations may in turn impact their self-efficacy (Korgan et al., 2013). Furthermore, experiencing microaggressions can often cause international students to feel invisible, invalidated, and excluded (Houshmand et al., 2014; Sue at al., 2007). They may experience high personal and environmental distress (Smith et al., 2011). International students are also at a higher risk for experiencing real/perceived personal and professional barriers (such as work restrictions, language/communication difficulties, racial discrimination, and lower growth opportunities). Experiencing lower self-efficacy coupled with the above mentioned personal and professional barriers, could predict narrower range of professional interests and lower outcome expectations in international students. Microaggressions may also contribute to reduced sense of accomplishment and negative perceptions of work environment, which would eventually affect international students’ goal attainment and persistence capabilities at work. Because self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and career choices and performance are intrinsically linked, negative experience in one aspect spills over to rest of the aspects. Taken together, microaggressions have the potential to cause unfavorable personal and professional outcomes for international students; therefore, it becomes imperative to aid international students in recognition and management of these marginalizing experiences. 

Figure showing the mechanism of how microaggressions influence an international student's career development.
Figure 1. Microaggressions predicting vocational choice in international students through social cognitive career theory. Adapted from “Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance”, by R.W. Lent, S.D. Brown, & G. Hackett, 1994, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 79-122, p.88.

Based on SCCT, our change mechanisms for this project are aimed at increasing empowerment and decreasing help seeking stigma in the international student population. We are hoping to raise awareness of the pervasive and unintentional racial microaggressions experienced by international students on campus by providing psychoeducation on how these experiences are harmful at individual, interpersonal, and systemic levels. We are encouraging self-reflection in the students about microaggressions, to challenge any negative internalized beliefs they might have as a result of their marginalizing experiences. Moreover, we are hoping to validate their experiences which might have left them feeling isolated, invalidated, invisible, and distressed. We wish to convey that there’s hope and that they can seek for support; they should not feel guilty or responsible for these negative experiences. Finally, we are proposing quick and simple strategies or approaches to constructively address racial microaggressions they might experience at their workplaces. We are encouraging international students to seek support and advice from role models/guides/counselors to prevent and minimize the negative impact these microaggressions could have on their sense of self.

Resources Needed

Following is the list of required resources for successful completion and distribution of this infographic:

  • A graphic designing software/tool is needed if any changes need to be made to the infographic or if someone wanted to re-create it. For this project, we used Canva, which is freely accessible from canva.com. 
  • Access to colored printing services is required for printing the infographic. 
  • The infographic can be displayed across campus announcement boards; hence permission to post on announcement bulletin boards is required. 
  • Website and social media accounts are required for e-distribution of the graphic.
  • Collaboration with other departments/offices (such as career services, student engagement, student affairs, graduate studies, counseling and disability services, and health services) is encouraged for a wider circulation of infographic to international students. 

Delivering Services

The office of International Student Support Services (ISSS) oversees a variety of programs and events for international students; therefore, they are the first line of contact for many international students. We originally intended for our product to be in the form of a trifold pamphlet that could be distributed across campus through the ISSS office at Penn State Harrisburg. They could have printed colored copies of the pamphlet and have it displayed on announcement boards across campus, where it would have been easily accessible to the student population. Additionally, ISSS would have collaborated with other on-campus departments/offices (such as career services, student engagement, student affairs, graduate studies, counseling and disability services, and health services) for a wider circulation of infographic to international students.

Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to alter our plans and instead format our infographic to be an image that we provided to the ISSS office coordinator. Our infographic can be easily distributed via e-mail and/or uploaded to the ISSS’s website or their various social media platforms. Nevertheless, it is our hope in the future that ISSS might distribute our infographic in the form that it was originally intended so that students would have access to it without needing to be able to access the internet.   

Expected Outcomes

Colorful image of holding hands depicting diversity and support
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

We are hoping that international students at Penn State Harrisburg will find comfort in the infographic that we created. They have the information which they could use to take the suggested steps or utilize the additional resources we provided. Moreover, we want them to feel validated and supported, and to know that they are not alone in their experiences.  For measuring the expected outcomes, in future, the ISSS office could provide a survey assessing level of satisfaction with our infographic and the information it contains. Based on the results/feedback, they could update it to reflect information that the students identify as pertinent. There is scope to edit the infographic and tailor it to meet the needs of international students if they do not feel that the infographic is detailed enough or if there is a more specific topic that students wish more information on. Additionally, the ISSS office could even build off of our product and host a panel discussion regarding microaggressions at the workplace/internship site for students to be able to attend and ask questions in real time. Through these panel discussions, students could discuss the reasons why it is important to develop their abilities to recognize and acknowledge racial microaggressions as pervasive biases​. They could also learn and practice more helpful approaches to manage these experiences.

Looking ahead, there are few more suggestions which could be done to better address the experiences of microaggressions in international students. For instance, on a larger level, training workshops could focus on raising critical consciousness among campus faculty and staff around racial microaggressions international students experience. These workshops would provide a safe space where faculty and staff could engage in personal and professional reflections on their evolving racial awareness, frequent occurrence of racial microaggressions, and sensitivity to international students’ experiences​. Besides training workshops, ISSS could create a safe space/blog online where international students could anonymously share their experiences of microaggressions directed at them. It could help in increasing awareness about the prevalence of these marginalizing experiences, and foster empathy towards the international student population. Lastly, ISSS in collaboration with CAPS could run support-groups for students which aim at increasing self-efficacy, compassion, and sensitivity towards each other.

Finished Product: The Infographic

This is the infographic which provides information on what microaggressions are, why it is important to be aware of them, how they impact international students' mental health, work performance and enviroment, what some of the ways are to constructively manage microaggressions, and helpful resources that students can use.
Our infographic on microaggressions experienced by international students at their workplaces.
References

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs.

Constantine, M., & Sue, D. W. (2007). Perceptions of racial micro-aggressions among black supervisees in cross-racial dyads. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 54, 142–153. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.54.2.142 

Harper, S. R., Davis, R. J., Jones, D. E., McGowan, B. L., Ingram, T. N., & Platt, C. S. (2011). Race and racism in the experiences of Black male resident assistants at predominantly White universities. Journal of College Student Development, 52(2), 180-200. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2011.0025.

Houshmand, S., Spanierman, L. B., & Tafarodi, R. W. (2014). Excluded and avoided: Racial microaggressions targeting Asian international students in Canada. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 20(3), 377-388. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035404 

Institute of International Education (2018). Number of International Students in the United States Reaches New High of 1.09 Million. Retrieved from https://www.iie.org/Why-IIE/Announcements/2018/11/2018-11-13-Number-of-International-Students-Reaches-New-High 

Korgan, C., Durdella, N., & Stevens, M. (2013). The development of academic self-efficacy among first-year college students in a comprehensive public university. Higher Education in Review, 10, 11-37. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315729807_The_Development_of_Academic_Self-Efficacy_among_First-Year_College_Students_in_a_Comprehensive_Public_University

Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45(1), 79-122. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1994.1027

Lent, R. W., & Brown, S. D. (2013). Social cognitive model of career self-management: Toward a unifying view of adaptive career behavior across the life span. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 60(4), 557-568. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0033446 

Lian, Z. & Wallace, B. C. (2018) Prevalence of past-year mental disorders and its correlates among Chinese international students in US higher education. Journal of American College Health, 68(2), 176-184. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2018.1538147

Poyrazli, S., & Lopez, D. (2007). An Exploratory Study of Perceived Discrimination and Homesickness: A Comparison of International Students and American Students. The Journal of Psychology, 141(3), 263–280. https://doi.org/10.3200/jrlp.141.3.263-280

Shenoy-Packer,S. (2015). Immigrant professionals, microaggressions, and critical sensemaking in the US workplace. Management Communication Quarterly, 29(2), 257-275. https://doi.org/10.1177/0893318914562069

Smith, W. A., Hung, M., & Franklin, J. D. (2011). Racial battle fatigue and the “Mis”education of Black men: Racial microaggressions, societal problems, and environmental stress. Journal of Negro Education, 80(1), 63-82. www.jstor.org/stable/41341106

Sue, D. W. (2010). Microaggressions and marginality: Manifestation, dynamics, and impact. John Wiley & Sons. 

Sue, D. W., Bucceri, J., Lin, A. I., Nadal, K. L., & Torino, G. C. (2007). Racial microaggressions and the Asian American experience. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 13(1), 72-81.  https://doi.org/10.1037/1099-9809.13.1.72

Sue, D. W., Capodilupo, C. M., Torino, G. C., Bucceri, J. M., Holder, A. M. B., Nadal, K. L., & Esquilin, M. (2007). Racial microaggressions in everyday life: Implications for clinical practice. American Psychologist, 62(4), 271–286. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.62.4.271

 

 

Student disAbilities Career Resources

Exploring Career Interests in Students

with Disabilities

Created By: Julia Amburgey & Alex Turner
          This consultation intervention focused on helping students with disabilities at Penn State Harrisburg to increase their self-confidence and professional abilities, common within self-efficacy, through identifying their career interests and providing them with resources as they enter the workforce. This was based on three models of Social Cognitive Career Theory, where the consultants aimed to increase the self-efficacy and perseverance of students, help foster positive career outlooks, and decrease any negative perceptions they may have of themselves. These goals were accomplished through five key resources provided to Student DisAbility Resources by the consultants, including: 1) Updates to the DisAbility Resources website, 2) A workshop PowerPoint, 3) A post-workshop survey, 4) Improved connections for workshop advertisement/a flyer layout, and 5) A PowerPoint slide describing Student DisAbility Resources to be utilized during new student orientation.

 

Neon sign that says "Do Something Great"

 

Social Justice Needs: Breaking Barriers for Students with Disabilities

          This intervention aimed to help students with disabilities as they narrow their career interests and navigate entering the workforce. Erickson et al. (2017) found that there is an employment gap of 40.7% between people with disabilities and those without, with only 35.5% of individuals with any disability working. Additionally, for those who are employed, individuals with disabilities have a median wage equivalent to two-thirds of individuals without disabilities (Erickson et al., 2017). With this information, it becomes clear that taking an active approach in assisting this population to succeed in the workforce is a necessity.  

          One of the steps in this process involves increasing awareness of media messages and perceptions. According to Haller and colleagues (2006), the identity of the disability community is constantly altered and maintained by media messages. This is supported by Zhang and Haller (2013), who found that positive media messages portraying people with disabilities as superheroes increased the self-esteem and self-image of those with disabilities. Conversely, negative media messages portraying people with disabilities as ill or victims were associated with lower self-esteem and life satisfaction (Zhang & Haller, 2013). Zhang and Haller (2013) also found that these media portrayals of superhero, ill, or victim were not necessarily even true for people with disabilities. Regarding internal perceptions of self-efficacy in relation to career choices, Luzzo and colleagues (1999) found that compared to their peers without disabilities, students with disabilities demonstrated less self-efficacy (i.e., belief that one can accomplish a task) in their career decision-making and more pessimistic outlooks of these decisions. These studies demonstrate the powerful effects both external and internal ability appraisals can have on the self-esteem and self-efficacy of individuals with disabilities.  

Empty road leading to mountains          To illuminate areas where messages about disabilities and work could improve, the consultants paired with Student DisAbility Resources (SDR) at Penn State Harrisburg. The consultants collaborated with the coordinator of SDR to identify specific needs of students with disabilities. These needs included: reducing the stigma of and discrimination against individuals with disabilities on campus and in the workplace, increasing attendance of career-related workshops, and increasing the accessibility to career services for students with disabilities.  

          In order to reduce the effects of stigma and discrimination related to individuals with disabilities, the consultants aimed to increase students’ self-efficacies and explore their outcome expectations (i.e., beliefs about what will happen) related to their future careers. Rather than focus on deficits portrayed by the media, society, and family expectations, the consultants attempted to focus attention on students’ interests and capabilities through use of an online, federally operated career interest profiler called O*Net (https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip). In addition, the consultants sought to provide greater resources through sharing information about federal laws, agency contacts, and beneficial accommodations in the workplace. This information was provided in three facets: 1) The SDR website was updated to include this federal information and information about career resources and O*Net, 2) A workshop was developed to discuss the resources SDR provides and  demonstrate how to navigate O*Net, and 3) A single-slide overview was created that describes the services SDR provides, so it can be used at new–student orientation in the hopes of increasing the normalcy and decreasing the stigma associated with accessing these resources.  

          Regarding the second aspiration of increasing attendance to career-related SDR workshops, the consultants assisted in providing new methods to promote their workshops, as well as a survey to measure interests for future programs, benefits received from attending the workshop, and the efficacy of promotion techniques for the workshop. In utilizing new techniques and the survey, the consultants aimed to supply SDR with tools to identify students’ topics of interest for future workshops. With a greater understanding of student interest in combination with more efficacious methods to promote workshops, it is expected that workshop attendance would increase. Lastly, the consultants provided contact information for campus Career Services in workshop material and included a link to the Career Services website in the updated SDR website.  

 

Theoretical Rationale: Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT)

          When considering the needs of students with disabilities, SCCT provides a beneficial framework to identify mechanisms of change in this population through looking at their career interests, career choice options, and persistence in their occupational pursuits (Lent et al., 1994). Through SCCT, the consultants identified several change mechanisms, including self-efficacy, outcome expectations, psychoeducation/consciousness–raising, and the instillation of hope. These are enveloped within the interest model, choice model, and performance model of SCCT (Lent et al., 1994).   

          Two people looking down at their feet with the words "Passion Led Us Here" written on the sidewalkThe interest model describes how one’s self-efficacy and outcome expectations combine to form their career interests (Lent et al., 1994). Within self-efficacy, students and future professionals may question their abilities to successfully perform tasks within the workplace. Components that influence one’s self-efficacy include vicarious learning through guides and role models, social persuasion, past behavior, and one’s physiology and affect (Lent et al., 1994; Bandura, 1986). Within vicarious learning, guides are involuntarily chosen individuals (e.g., family members) in one’s life who play a role in either increasing one’s self-efficacy to be able to pursue various careers, or hindering one’s self-efficacy regarding certain careers (e.g., potentially thinking one is incapable of pursuing a certain career path due to internalizing messages that their disabilities limit their career options). Conversely, role models are voluntarily chosen in one’s life and generally serve as mentors who help one navigate their career journey (Lent et al., 2000). This project seeks to provide resources to challenge messages that one’s disability limits their options for pursuing future careers. It is hoped that through increasing students’ self-efficacies, they will be more likely to choose role models who embody the success that individuals with disabilities can have within the workplace.  

          Social persuasion includes media messages individuals receive regarding their performance capabilities. Specifically, students with physical and/or mental disabilities may have received negative or maladaptive messages about their capabilities from society, media, and their peers, as well as from negative past experiences in the workplace (e.g., Zhang & Haller, 2013). This could have led to negative core schemas about their worth or ability in the workforce, thus decreasing their self-efficacies (Brown & Lent, 1996). By developing an O*Net workshop and providing resources on the SDR website regarding current laws and protections for individuals with disabilities, the consultants aimed to alter negative schemas students may have developed in response to media messages they received. This new information presented on the Penn State Harrisburg SDR website provides the opportunity for students with disabilities to develop a positive perspective of their abilities through online media. This newly acquired information and positive perspective may allow students with disabilities to move past any negative experiences in the workforce and instead, be provided with resources to help them push through barriers. 

          The second component of the interest model describes individuals’ outcome expectations, which are personal beliefs related to the consequences one expects will follow a specific behavior (i.e., a thought process of “If I do X, what will happen?”) (Lent et al., 2000). Providing the resources of federal laws for people with disabilities on the SDR website will help illuminate the legal protections available to them in their future workplaces. With this increased knowledge, students will be able to understand what they are allowed, able, and encouraged to ask for from their future companies and human resource departments. This greater clarity may garner more confidence in individuals as they enter the workforce. Values and reinforcers are two primary concepts that influence one’s outcome expectations, such that individuals learn what to expect from their jobs based on their values (Lent et al., 1994). The consultants hope to increase students’ awareness of their values through providing an explanation of the O*Net interest profiler resource. Additionally, the consultants provided SDR with a PowerPoint presentation about O*Net to use in future workshops. With these resources and psychoeducation opportunities, students will be able to narrow down what they would like to pursue in their future careers based on their values and interests, as well as looking at the education and certificate requirements necessary for these jobs. This may also increase students’ self-efficacies due to greater knowledge of their capabilities and job education requirements (Lent et al., 1994).  

          The interest model further describes aspects that either reinforce or refute the outcome expectations individuals have developed in their careers. In this sense, reinforcers act by strengthening what an individual believes is possible, thereby solidifying individuals’ career schemas (Brown & Lent, 1996). In reference to our project, students with disabilities have unfortunately likely encountered many reinforcers which have solidified schemas that they are unable to pursue certain careers. This project seeks to challenge these negative reinforcers by offering students resources geared toward identifying their career interests (i.e., O*Net) and providing opportunities to explore these interests (i.e., providing SDR with a PowerPoint about O*Net to use for future workshops). Through this, these students will be encouraged that their interests are feasible pursuits. Moreover, students can be given direction and support in their attempts to make their interests a reality through workshops and resources provided by the consultants to SDR. In addition, updating the SDR website to include laws that protect individuals with disabilities in the workplace will aid in better equipping these students to be knowledgeable of their rights within the workplace and therefore self-advocate against influences that would seek to reinforce negative schemas about individuals with disabilities in the workplace.   

          In the SCCT choice model, one’s resources, supports, barriers, perceived barriers, and levels of perseverance are all characteristics that influence the choices one makes in the workplace. One’s resources, perseverance, and hope to continue persevering all need to be greater than their barriers for individuals to move forward in pursuing their career choices that align with their interests (Lent et al., 1994; Lent et al., 2000; Lent & Brown, 2013). In order to provide greater resources and supports for students, the consultants provided information regarding federal protective laws for individuals with disabilities. These laws can help guide individuals’ conversations with future employers about their rights in the workplace. Providing students with information about these laws, as well as O*Net, may help to alter negative schemas to increase more positive and adaptive thought processes as an intrinsic resource. The workshop outline on how to use O*Net may also provide resources on how to incorporate one’s interests into future careers. Using this workshop, members of SDR could become role models for students who would like to learn more about their career interests and their rights within the workplace. 

          Students with disabilities have also likely encountered many barriers (whether external or internal) that hinder their pursuits of certain careers that may align with their interests. Examples of barriers students may have encountered include explicitly receiving messages (from media, peers, guides, etc.) that they are incapable of performing certain tasks due to their disabilities, or internal perceived barriers that they are not capable of pursuing certain careers, so they should not even try (e.g., Luzzo et al., 1999; Zhang & Haller, 2013). The consultants sought to challenge these barriers and perceived barriers by providing students with resources that help them begin pursuing careers in line with their interests (i.e., offering workshops on O*Net) and demonstrate to students that there are likely several potential careers that align with their interests based on their O*Net results. In doing this, the consultants and SDR aim to instill hope in students that their goals for work are achievable. After identifying their career interests, the university could then support these students in meeting the educational criteria required for these careers and provide them with knowledge about their rights when they eventually enter the workforce. Through these actions, the university and SDR would be working against systemic barriers that send messages to students with disabilities that they are less able to pursue their career interests than other students. In addition, the consultants, in working with SDR, expect to refute internalized perceived barriers students with disabilities may have through demonstrating to them that they already took major steps toward advancing their careers. These steps may include, and are not limited to, identifying their career interests through attending the O*Net workshops and educating themselves about protective laws on the SDR website to be able to advocate for themselves in the future.   

          Lastly, the performance model of SCCT assesses why individuals continue to persist in their workplace choices despite potential barriers that arise (Lent et al., 1994). This persistence also involves shifting outcome expectations to be more optimistic and continuing to build one’s self-efficacy (Brown & Lent, 1996). The consultants provided resources through the altered SDR website and O*Net workshop to increase students’ distress tolerance, thereby helping them persist through tough career situations. Additionally, the consultants provided knowledge about protective federal laws to help maintain students’ outcome expectations and self-efficacies when looking for jobs. 

 

Resources Needed

          In order to complete this intervention, organizations will require multiple personnel, physical, and system-level resources. The preferred facilitator for O*Net workshop would be a master’s–level (or higher) professional who is familiar with disability resources. Alternatively, the presenter may be familiar with Career Services. In order to create a safe environment where students can debrief their results if desired, it is preferred that a master’s–level (or higher) therapist/psychologist be present at the workshop. Staff members are required who are familiar with and able to make website alterations, create media advertisements to promote workshops, and analyze any statistical data retrieved from workshop surveys. Each of these individuals will also require several physical resources.  

          For the SDR website updates, the organization must have an SDR website on which they can describe O*Net and federal laws. Regarding the O*Net workshop, this intervention necessitates access to high-speed internet, a computer lab or room with computers, the O*Net website, a printer, copier, ink, and paper for flyers and surveys for the workshop, PowerPoint, and a projector.  The organization will also need access to marketing resources to promote workshops, such as social media sites, mass email list servers, televisions or other visual advertisements, and print labs for posters. On a systems-level, the organization needs to be capable of connecting with resources that offer career services to students with disabilities, in addition to being aware of and advocating for the rights of individuals with disabilities in the workplace. 

 

White coffee mug that says "Begin." on a wooden table

 

Delivering Services

          Through working with SDR at Penn State Harrisburg, the consultants delivered the services of updating the SDR website, advertising for an SDR event on campus, creating a survey to distribute to students after SDR events, and creating a presentation for future O*Net workshops. Regarding the SDR website, the consultants maintained open contact with the coordinator of SDR at Penn State Harrisburg, as well as with the associate director of marketing and communications at Penn State Harrisburg in order to make and finalize the website changes. The consultants researched federal laws related to students with disabilities both in the academic and workplace contexts, which the consultants then added as a new tab to the SDR website for students to access. In order to ensure all website changes were accessible, the consultants were careful to make sure all websites were able to be accessed freely by the general public, and without the necessity of creating an account.  

          In relation to advertising for an SDR event held on campus during the Spring 2020 semester, the consultants created a flyer template with the event details, that was then scheduled to be promoted through social media outlets, televisions on campus, and printed copies of the flyer distributed across campus. In addition, the consultants created a brief post-workshop survey to be distributed to students after SDR events in order to measure the efficacy of the event content and promotion, and gauge interest for future event topics. Lastly, the consultants created a PowerPoint presentation about O*Net, to be used in future workshops pertaining to career interests for students with disabilities. This presentation also included information about federal laws that were updated on the SDR website, as well as resources for students to contact if they ever felt like they were being discriminated against, whether in academic or workplace settings.  

          It is the consultants’ goal that this O*Net workshop will be delivered by SDR facilitators (referenced in the personnel resources above). The consultants provided guided notes in the PowerPoint for facilitators to follow, in order to accomplish the goal of not only demonstrating how to use O*Net with students, but also ensuring the presentation promotes discussion about career interests and perceived barriers among the students and facilitators. If a therapist/psychologist is present at the workshop, the facilitator can direct students to discuss their results with these individuals, especially if they are feeling confused or overwhelmed about their results. In this sense, this workshop is not designed to be a singular event that instructs students on how to navigate the O*Net website, but rather a continuing process whereby students can continue to engage with Student DisAbility Resources, Career Services, and Counseling Services as they navigate their academic trajectories and work toward achieving their career aspirations.  

 

Expected Outcomes

          The goal of this intervention is to identify how individuals with disabilities can connect their interests with their future careers and navigate any barriers that arise. In this way, the consultants hope that the students’ self-efficacies will increase and that any negative schemas or outcome expectations these students held previously will be mitigated by the resources provided and replaced with optimistic outlooks on their career endeavors.  

          Regarding specific outcomes expected from this consultation intervention, the updates made to the SDR website are expected to increase students’ knowledge of federal disability laws that protect them in the workplace, with the hope that they are better able to self-advocate for their rights and seek out workplaces that are dedicated to ensuring they thrive in their environments. This outcome could be measurable based on self-reports from Penn State Harrisburg graduates. It is also hoped that through the information provided about O*Net on the SDR website, students will be able to utilize this resource to explore their career interests. With this information and resources, it is also possible that students may have increased perseverance and self-efficacies to follow their interests and arm themselves with resources to help them in their futures. It is also the consultants’ aim that SDR will be able to provide a greater ease of access to federal laws and O*Net both in one-on-one consultation sessions and through students visiting their website. SDR may be able to measure the success of their website changes through click rates. Many of the expected outcomes from the website changes are replicated in the workshop PowerPoint. Specifically, this workshop could help SDR utilize a more defined method to effectively talk about career possibilities with students with disabilities. Success of the workshop may be measurable through post-workshop survey results. 

          The consultants hope that the post-workshop survey will allow SDR to gain more information about efficacious advertising avenues, as well as gauge the most helpful aspects of workshops and students’ interests for future workshops. With this information, SDR could create more applicable workshops in the future and help give a voice to students with disabilities based white flowers with the message "Let nothing dim the light that shines from within - By Maya Angelou" written on a piece of paper in the middleon their indicated interests. Throughout the process of developing the O*Net workshop, the consultants helped to make a connection between SDR and the 25-live media advertising avenue on Penn State Harrisburg’s campus. Moving forward, it is the consultants’ hope that SDR staff will continue to utilize this method and measure efficacy through success rates of students’ attendance to events and students’ responses to the post-workshop survey. Lastly, the consultants hope that SDR uses the updated orientation slide to further advertise DisAbility Resources on Penn State Harrisburg’s campus starting as early as new student orientation. This orientation slide includes information about how to get involved with SDR, specifically describing their workshops. It is hoped that this information provided early at orientation will help reduce stigma associated with seeking guidance from Student DisAbility Resources, and also increase students’ likelihood to schedule consultations with SDR so they are better able to thrive during their time in college and beyond into their careers.  

 

The Finished Products

          As stated throughout this intervention, one of the consultants’ main products was updating the SDR website. This update included the addition of two new tabs: Career Resources and Federal Laws. For career resources, the consultants connected SDR and Career Services, and provided a step–by–step guide to a federally–owned and operated site which helps individuals narrow their career interests (i.e., O*Net). The step-by-step process was narrowed to ten easy–to–follow steps, which included screenshotted images explaining how to follow along in the O*Net website itself. In order to promote workshop opportunities hosted by SDR, the consultants listed common workshop topics held by SDR in order to gain interest for future event attendance. Regarding the tab on federal laws, the consultants met with SDR coordinator at Penn State Harrisburg to discuss laws he thought were most pertinent to list on the website. The consultants also conducted their own research online to find further laws and website links to laws descriptions so students can easily access these full descriptions. To supplement the links, the consultants wrote brief and easy-to-understand summaries of each law listed (e.g., ADA, AD91). Based on these laws, the consultants provided an avenue for students to contact if they feel they are being discriminated against. To view the document submitted with website updates, please see Appendix A. The consultants replicated the website changes into a PowerPoint to be used in an SDR-hosted workshop describing O*Net and federal laws. The consultants included notes in the PowerPoint to help facilitators describe how to navigate O*Net and discuss federal laws. The full workshop PowerPoint is included as an attached document in Appendix B.  

          The post-workshop survey asks students questions such as how they heard about the workshop, what they learned from attending the workshop, their levels of awareness about federal protective laws and the SDR website, if they have ever attended an SDR event in the past, and what they would like to see in future SDR events. A copy of the survey can be found in Appendix C. While in the process of creating the O*Net workshop, the consultants also created a flyer layout to start using with the Mock Interview event that was co-hosted by Career Services and DisAbility Resources at Penn State Harrisburg. It is hoped that this layout and methods of advertisement will continue to be used for future workshops, including the O*Net workshop created by the consultants. The flyer template that was used to advertise the mock interview workshop can be found in Appendix D. Lastly, the slide created for SDR to use during new student orientation describes the resources SDR provides (including the website) and how to get in contact with SDR. This is attached as a document in Appendix E.  

 

References

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. 

Brown, S. D., & Lent, R. W. (1996). A social cognitive framework for career choice counseling. Career Development Quarterly, 44(4) 354-366. doi:10.1002/j.2161-0045.1996.tb00451.x 

Erickson, W., Lee, C., & von Schrader, S. (2017). Disability statistics from the American Community Survey (ACS). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Yang-Tan Institute (YTI). Retrieved from www.disabilitystatistics.org  

Haller, B., Dorries, B., & Rahn, J. (2006). Media labeling versus the US disability community identity: A study of shifting cultural language. Disability and Society, 21(1), 61-75. 

Lent, R. W., & Brown, S. D. (2013). Social cognitive model of career self-management: Toward a unifying view of adaptive career behavior across the life span. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 60(4), 557-568. doi:10.1037/a0033446 

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(1), 36-19. doi: 10.1037/0022-0167.47.1.36  

Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45(1), 79-122. doi:10.1006/jvbe.1994.1027 

Luzzo, D. A., Hitchings, W. E., Retish, P., & Shoemaker, A. (1999). Evaluating differences in college students’ career decision making on the basis of disability status. The Career Development Quarterly, 48(2), 142-156. doi:10.1002/j.2161-0045.1999.tb00281.x 

Zhang, L. & Haller, B. (2013). Consuming image: How mass media impact the identity of people with disabilities. Communication Quarterly, 61(3), 319-334.

 

Appendices

Appendix A: PDF Website Modifications

Appendix B: DisAbility Resources Career Presentation ; PDF Presentation Notes Pages

Appendix C: PDF Post Workshop Survey

Appendix D: UPDATED Mock Interview Infographic

Appendix E: DisAbility Resources Slide for Orientation