social cognitive career therapy

8/8/2019 Social Cognitive Career Therapy

1/17

Social Cognitive Career Theory:

International Applications?

Steven D. Brown, Ph.D.

Loyola University Chicago


2/17

SCCT: Origins, Purposes

• Integrative theory of interests, choice, performance,

and satisfaction (newest component)

• Extends Albert Bandura’s (1986) general social cognitive

theory to career behavior

• SCCT based on 25 years of research and clinical experience

• Latest summary: In Brown & Lent’s (2005) text, Career Development and Counseling: Putting Theory & Research

to Work (John Wiley & Sons)


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Some Basic Elements of SCCT

Self-Efficacy: Beliefs about one’s ability to perform specific behaviors

“Can I do this?”

Helps determine choice of activities, effort expenditure, persistence

Outcome Expectations: Beliefs about the consequences of given actions

“If I do this, what will happen?” Goals: Determination to engage in a particular activity or to produce a

particular outcome

“How much do I want to do this?”

By setting personal goals, people help to organize, guide, and sustain

their own behavior

Contextual Supports and Barriers: Perceived and objectiveenvironmental factors that affect ability to pursue one’s goals


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A Simplified View of Interest Development

& Career Choice

Self-Efficacy

Outcome Expectations

Interests Intentions/Goals

ActionsSuccesses,

Failure


5/17

5

Meta-Analysis of Choice Model

InterestsR2 = .52

Outcome

ExpectationsR2 = .38

Choice GoalsR2 = .55

.62

Self-EfficacyR2 = .18

Total N = 2,115; 7 correlation matrices

Chi-square = 73.62, df = 4, CFI = .987, SRMR = .031, RMSEA = .091

.27

.44

.15

.42

From Sheu et al. (2007)

.36

Supports Barriers-.33.36

-.12

.01 -.01


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Prior PerformanceAccomplishments

Vicarious

Learning

Social Persuasion

Physiological and

Affective Reactions

Self-Efficacy

Where Does Self-Efficacy

Come From?

G e n d e r


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Background

Background

Contextual

Affordances

Person Inputs

- Predispositions

- Gender

- Race/ethnicity

- Disability/

Health status

LearningExperiences

Self-efficacy

Expectations

Outcome

Expectations

Interests Goals Actions

Contextual Influences

Proximal to Choice Behavior

Full Choice Model, Including Contextual

Factors


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Five Targets for Career Choice

Counseling – Derived from SCCT

1. Expanding Vocational Interests and Identifying

Foreclosed Possibilities

2. Strengthening Self-Efficacy Beliefs

3. Instilling Realistic Outcome Expectations

4. Managing Environmental Barriers

5. Building Environmental Support Systems


9/17

Target 1: Expanding Low Interests and Identifying

Foreclosed Possibilities

• Ask client to talk about previously eliminated possibilities

• Conduct card sort to identify patterns of foreclosed

possibilities

• Explore basis for self-efficacy beliefs and outcomeexpectations

• Explore barriers and supports


10/17

Target 2: Building Self-Efficacy Beliefs via Personal

Performance Accomplishments

• Review Past Success Experiences: Test scores, grades,

work records, etc.• Compare Self-Other Skill Ratings

• Involve Client in New Mastery Experiences

• Examine Client’s Attributions (Reasons) for Successand Failure


11/17

Building Self-Efficacy Beliefs via:

• Vicarious Learning

• Importance of role model similarity

• Social Persuasion• Most common approach in counseling

• Best when source of persuasion and message

are credible

• Physiological States and Affective Reactions

• Anxiety reduction can enhance self-efficacy


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Target 3: Instilling Accurate Outcome Expectations

• Identify client’s career values

• Explore career options that match values

• Encourage access to accurate career information


13/17

Targets 4 & 5: Managing Environmental Barriers,

Building Supports

• Barrier-Coping:

• Identify potential barriers to career goals

• Rate barriers in terms of likelihood

• Prepare strategies to cope with most likely barriers• Build coping efficacy

List Potential Choice List Potential Choice

Barriers Supports


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• Support-Building:

• Identify environmental supports for career

goals

• Highlight changes needed to buildsupport, e.g., altering peer networks


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Effective Support Is Efficacy

Enhancing Provides Emotional Sustenance

Is Targeted

Provides Modeling

Encourages Approach vs. Avoidance

Behavior


16/17

Support Is Efficacy Enhancing

Helps Set Realistic Goals

Helps Manage Anxiety

Reinforces Successes and Helps to Benefit

from Successes


17/17

Critical Ingredients of Career Choice

CounselingWritten Goals

Individual Attention

Modeling

Occupational Information

Building Support

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