A Strengths-Based Longitudinal Career Intervention for Junior Secondary School Students with Special Educational Needs: a Mixed-method Evaluation

Abstract

The mixed-method study reported here was designed to evaluate a strengths-based career intervention program for secondary school students with mild special educational needs (SEN). A sample of 32 SEN students (19 boys: 13 girls) from 5 inclusive schools in Hong Kong were recruited to a treatment group. An additional 32 SEN students (19 boys: 13 girls) were selected to form the control group matched for age, gender and parents’ education level. The special needs exhibited by both groups were in areas of literacy and numeracy, attention deficits, and social-emotional problems, but did not include severe or complex disabilities. Participants in both groups responded to pre- and post-intervention questionnaires covering career development self-efficacy, personal and social development self-efficacy, and meaning in life. As a follow-up, two teachers and three social workers providing support to SEN students, and the 32 participants were interviewed several months after the intervention. Interviews also took place with teachers, social workers and students to evaluate the perceived effects of the intervention. Findings indicated significant interactions between Time 1 and Time 2, and between groups (control vs. treatment) in personal goal-setting, career goal-setting, and the presence of meaning in life. Additionally, several themes were identified from the interviews suggesting that the intervention did have positive effects on SEN students’ career, personal and social development self-efficacy, and acquisition of meaning in life.

Investigating the Factors Contributing to the Formation of Secondary School Students’ Interest towards Higher Education Studies

“…This perspective spans various special groups, providing opportunities and careercounseling strategies tailored to these specific populations. Numerous studies have delved into special groups, including individuals facing serious mental health disorders [22], youth in institutional settings [23], immigrant high school students [24], students in rural schools [25,26], as well as students in secondary school presenting mild special educational needs [27].…”

The perspectives of social cognitive career theory approach in current times

“…Ali et al ( 2019 ) evaluated the effectiveness of a sociopolitical development component in a SCCT career intervention program among rural middle school students, and found that there was limited support for the effectiveness of spd-injected SCCT interventions. Yuen et al ( 2022 ) tested a SCCT-based career intervention program for middle school students with mild special educational needs and found it impacted the students' career, personal and social development self-efficacy, and acquisition of a sense of meaning in life. Silva et al ( 2017 ) evaluated the effectiveness of a SCCT-based career intervention and found it improved the career adaptability of institutionalized youth.…”

“…It extends to special groups and offers possibilities and strategies for career counseling for special groups. Much related research has focused on special groups, such as individuals with serious mental health disorders (Fabian, 2000 ), institutionalized youth (Silva et al, 2017 ), immigrant high school students (McWhirter et al, 2019 ), rural school students (Ali et al, 2019 ; Gibbons et al, 2019 ), and secondary school students with mild special educational needs (Yuen et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Among the few studies that used qualitative assessments, one study conducted interviews with five teachers and social workers (Yuen et al, 2022 ). There is no uniform criteria for qualitative evaluation.…”

“…Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was difficult to conduct a follow-up survey to identify the long-term effects of the SCCT Project (Yuen et al, 2022 ). On the other hand, most of the studies on SCCT have focused on specific groups, and it is difficult to expand the findings to the general population.…”