This study used qualitative methodology to investigate the career development of 20 notable Latinas. The emergent theory proposed that Latina career development is influenced by sociopolitical, cultural, contextual, and personal variables. Results suggested that (a) career paths tended to be unplanned and nonlinear; (b) background variables, socioeconomic status, and educational experiences influenced the participants' sense of self and career motivation; (c) family, culture, and cultural identity were influential; (d) relational support systems, particularly those that involved extended family, spouses, and mentors, were important; and (e) the participants' optimism, persistence, passion, and capacity for cognitive refraining helped them cope with challenges and remain true to their values, beliefs, and sense of self. The women's career development literature has expanded in the past 3 decades (Fitzgerald, Fassinger, & Betz, 1995;Phillips & Imhoff, 1997), with growing focus on the career development of women of color (e.g., Bingham & Ward, 1994;Byars & Hackett, 1998). However, women of color remain largely invisible in the vocational psychology literature (Fassinger, in press), and research on the career development of Latinas, 1 in particular, is practically nonexistent (Arbona, 1995).

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Sociohistorical, sociopolitical and sociostructural barriers in American society create different paths in the college-to-work transition. Some individuals can follow their natural calling for a vocation, while others must contend with limited access to occupational opportunities. The emancipatory communitarian (EC) framework advocates for resisting and changing of structural barriers that hinder the career path of oppressed groups. Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) explains how sociocultural and background contextual factors interact with self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and career goals to shape career behavior. The present study investigated the relation of ethnic identity and acculturation to selfefficacy beliefs and outcome expectations by testing the validity of SCCT tenets with a sample of 357 Latina/o college students. An EC-SCCT framework was used to explore the relationships among ethnic identity, acculturation level, career decision self-efficacy, coping efficacy, and perceived barriers. The results of a modified path model demonstrated that, for this sample, career decision self-efficacy mediated the influence of ethnic identity and Anglo bicultural orientation on the perception of career barriers. The findings also point to the role of ethnic identity in augmenting Latina/o students' career decision self-efficacy and increasing awareness about career barriers (e.g., ethnic discrimination). The current study contributes to the literature promoting a liberational approach to vocational and counseling psychology theory, research, and practice. Limitations and implications for theory, research, training, and practice are discussed. i TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures .

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