An experimental design was used to test the hypothesis that vocational interests can be a precursor to the development of self-efficacy. Participants (n = 180) rated job descriptions for careers in the domains of information technology, sales, and teaching that contained information on activities and work values. Participants rated those job…

This study is the first to examine the equivalence of the 2005 Strong Interest Inventory with the 1994 Strong. The authors examine the parallel content scales of the two versions for female and male college students separately (n = 622). The scales include the six General Occupational Themes (GOTs), 22 of the 25 Basic Interest Scales (BISs) of the…

A study of 323 gifted adolescents explored the convergence of vocational interests and personality as measured by the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ) and NEO Personality Inventory-Revised. The strongest convergence occurred at more specific levels--the 30 facet levels of NEO and 11 primary scales of MPQ. Convergence of Holland's…

A meta-analysis was conducted of 60 empirical samples (n=39.154), 53 of which used parallel measures of self-efficacy and interests. Results demonstrated that self-efficacy and interests are independent and correlate moderately. Overlap varies considerably for Social, Enterprising, and Conventional interest domains depending on the measure used.…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Big Five personality factors, measured by the NEO Personality Inventory Five-Factor Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992), and vocational confidence across Holland's hexagon, measured by the Skills Confidence Inventory (SCI; Betz, Borgen, & Harmon, 2005), were useful in discriminating among…

Meta-analysis of 24 samples demonstrated overlap between Holland's vocational interest domains (measured by Self Directed Search, Strong Interest Inventory, and Vocational Preference Inventory) and Big Five personality factors (measured by Revised NEO Personalty Inventory). The link is stronger for five interest-personality pairs:…

Using meta-analysis, we revised Ackerman and Heggestad's (1997) identification of four trait complexes that propose personality and interest (P-I) linkages. Studies that had reported correlations between general and specific measures of vocational interests (Strong Interest Inventory [Strong; Hansen & Campbell, 1985; Harmon, Hansen, Borgen,…

Factor analysis of the female and male Business Education Teacher Occupational Scales of the Strong Interest Inventory revealed two occupationally specific factors that differed from the General Occupational Theme scales. Results provide evidence of the existence of occupationally unique interest structures. (SK)

Although personality is viewed as a precursor to self-efficacy and interest development (e.g., Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994), little research concerns linkages between personality and self-efficacy. This article bridges the relation by presenting the pattern of findings across four university samples. Three general and 11 specific personality…

Aims to raise interest in the application of problem-solving appraisal to the career planning process, through organizing and presenting relevant findings from the literature. Presents challenges for future researchers. (CH)