The extent to which interest profile level reflects response style is reported for 23 diverse samples (10 interest inventories; N=53,429). Validity data were used to determine whether profile level is relevant to career counseling. Response styles and level of interest results are discussed. Five suggestions for practice are presented. (Author/EMK)

The relationship between vocational tests and career counseling is improving. Counselors are making better use of tests which appear to be more responsive to counselors needs in assessing clients. Measures of career planning progress and implications of trends for practitioners are discussed. (BEF)

Assesses and summarizes core aspects of the career development of American youth. A major finding is the sharp contrast between students' need for help with career planning and the help they have been receiving. (Author)

This document presents the second edition of the World-of-Work map. The World-of-Work map is described as a depiction of important similarities and differences among occupations using J. L. Holland's hexagon, which shows relationships among six types of occupations (realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional). The…

Two approaches to interest inventory validation are considered. The choice between the two depends on the use being validated. The first approach assumes that interest inventories are to be used in predicting which occupations counselees will enter or prefer. The second assumes that interest inventories are to used in suggesting occupations for…

Describes procedures and applications for translating the scores from vocational interest inventories into regions on a world-of-work map. Suggests the procedure can be used in both vocational guidance and research to provide a basis for better understanding of vocational choice and development. (JAC)

Studied job analysis ratings for 12,009 occupations listed in the Fourth Edition "Dictionary of Occupational Titles" as supporting two bipolar work task dimensions: working with data versus ideas; and working with things versus people. Discusses everyday vocational guidance applications. (RC)

Holland types characterizing 34 occupational groups are reported for Self-Directed Search (SDS) standard scores. Results are compared with the Holland types obtained raw scores. Results imply that SDS standard scores are more accurate than raw scores in describing the Holland types of occupational groups. (Author)

An attempt is made to show that career development theory and career decision-making theory both provide a firm foundation for the role of tests in career guidance. This role is primarily to stimulate, broaden, and provide focus to the exploration of self in relation to career. To effectively implement this role, test publishers must devote much…

This digest focuses on the career counseling process, specifically on the contribution of assessment procedures to career exploration and planning. Because these career development tasks are experienced by everyone, this digest addresses assessment for the many rather than intensive, problem focused career counseling. The following basic…

The purpose of this paper was to examine trends in major components of career development across grades 8 to 12. A set of 11 scales was used to assess various components of career development. Both cognitive and behavioral components of career development were assessed. Longitudinal data from four high schools were analyzed in conjunction with…

This symposium examines recent research on sex restrictiveness as a potential indicator of sex bias. Two specific questions are addressed: (1) Can useful non-sex-restrictive raw score interest scales be constructed? Research results are reported for more than 10,000 persons in six samples including 9th graders, 11th graders, college-bound…

The general objectives were to develop and implement computer-based procedures for obtaining validated data on the characteristics of vocational school students, and to convert this data into counseling information. To do this, two types of data information conversion procedures were used: discriminate analysis and regression analysis. Scores from…

A study was conducted to identify a comprehensive set of attributes that differentiate occupations and occupational groups. It also determined the feasibility of linking counselee preferences for those attributes to the World-of-Work Map (WWM), a career exploration tool used in DISCOVER, a computer-based career planning system. A literature review…