Enhancing career exploration, decision making, and problem solving of adolescent girls with disabilities

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of an intervention designed to address the career exploration, decision-making, and problem solving needs of girls with learning disabilities. The sample consisted of 120 9th grade girls with and without disabilities. The intervention group consisted solely of girls with disabilities who participated in an eight-session program over a two-week period. All students completed the Career Maturity Inventory-Revised (CMI-R), which measures career exploration and decisionmaking abilities. They all also completed the Problem Solving Inventory (PSI). At pre-testing, there were statistically significant differences found for girls with disabilities as a whole for these constructs when compared to girls without disabilities. Girls with disabilities who participated in the intervention had significantly better scores at post-testing on the decision-making and problem solving variables. viduals with disabilities such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). However, research still shows that even thought some advancements have been made, the success rate for women in particular when it comes to employment and post-secondary education still lags far behind. Baldwin [1] noted that only 33% of women with disabilities were in the labor force in comparison to 69% of men with disabilities. Also reported was that among women with disabilities who are employed, the average earnings are $3,100 less than women without disabilities, $8,200 less than men with disabilities, and $14,200 less than men without disabilities. According to Jans and Stoddard [26], women with disabilities were more likely to receive need-based services (programs reserved for individuals below a certain income level) such as food stamps, Medicaid, and public and subsidized housing. They also noted that more women that men were living in poverty: 34% of women who reported a work disability lived in poverty compared

A Meta-Analysis of Interventions to Promote Self-Determination for Students With Disabilities

“…Regarding outcome variables, 12 studies (35.3%) measured change in overall self-determination using a validated measure (e.g., The Arc’s Self-Determination Scale ; Test & Neale, 2004), while 18 studies (52.9%) measured change in one or more skills associated with self-determination using either a validated measure (e.g., Problem-Solving Inventory ; Lusk & Cook, 2009) or a researcher-created measure of the skill (e.g., Cote et al, 2010). Four studies (11.8%) measured both overall self-determination and one or more skills associated with self-determination.…”

“…Many of the studies ( n = 12 articles; 35.3%) were implemented in segregated settings (e.g., special education classrooms; Hagner et al, 2012), although six studies (17.6%) were conducted in inclusive settings (e.g., general education classrooms; Lusk & Cook, 2009) and seven in both settings (20.6%; e.g., Shogren et al, 2012). The other nine studies (26.5%) did not describe the setting of the intervention.…”

“…In one instance, project staff and school personnel delivered an intervention together (Wehmeyer, Garner, Yeager, & Lawrence, 2006). Alternatively, researchers or project staff delivered the intervention in seven studies (20.6%; e.g., Lusk & Cook, 2009).…”

Career Counseling With Juvenile Offenders: Effects on Self-Efficacy and Career Maturity

“…The scale was designed to capture levels of career indecision and unrealistic career goals, issues that are essential in determining adolescent career development (Crites, ). It also examines attitudes and competencies that are important in making decisions about one's career (Crites & Savickas, ; Lusk & Cook, ). For example, the CMI asks participants about their attitudes and feelings toward making a career choice and entering the world of work.…”

Future Aspirations of Young Women With Disabilities: An Examination of Social Cognitive Career Theory

“…Young women with disabilities may experience restricted career options due to socially constructed beliefs about gender and disabilities (Lindstrom et al, 2012;Lusk & Cook, 2009). Longitudinal data show that young women with disabilities exiting high school were often employed in stereotypical female occupations (childcare, housekeeping, etc.)…”