Career decision-making self-efficacy is one of the key concepts in the social cognitive theory; thus, programs to develop it must be informed by the best available evidence. To this end, a meta-analysis was undertaken to determine the extent to which different career interventions affect university students’ levels of career decision-making self-efficacy. The existing literature was first reviewed, and 20 studies were included in the analysis based on a set of specific criteria. The studies selected for the meta-analysis were (a) experimental or quasi-experimental research and had a control group or a group that could be considered a comparison group, (b) reported what could be conceived as effects of career interventions on career decision-making self-efficacy, (c) recruited university students as participants, and (d) were published in English. Effect sizes were calculated using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software, and the results showed that career interventions were associated with a large increase in university students’ levels of career decision-making self-efficacy.
(References with asterisks were included in the meta-analysis.)
2.
AmirT.GatiI. (2006).
Facets of career decision-making difficulties. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling,
34(4), 483–503.
3.
AmundsonN. (2006).
Challenges for career interventions in changing contexts. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance,
6(1), 3–14.
4.
*BaigS. T. (2012). The effects of a career development course on career and college major decision-making in college students (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). The University of Montana, Missoula.
5.
BanduraA. (1977).
Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review,
84(2), 191–215.
6.
*BehrensE. L.NautaM. M. (2014).
The self-directed search as a stand-alone intervention with college students. The Career Development Quarterly,
62(3), 224–238.
7.
BetzN. E.HackettG. (2006).
Career self-efficacy theory: Back to the future. Journal of Career Assessment,
14(1), 3–11.
8.
BetzN. E.KleinK. L.TaylorK. M. (1996).
Evaluation of a short form of the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale. Journal of Career Assessment,
4, 47–57.
9.
BetzN. E.VoytenK. K. (1997).
Efficacy and outcome expectations influence career exploration and decidedness. The Career Development Quarterly,
46(2), 179–189.
10.
BorensteinM.HedgesL. V.HigginsJ. P.RothsteinH. R. (2011). Introduction to meta-analysis.
New York, NY:
John Wiley & Sons.
11.
*BreauxA. H. (2004). The impact of co-operative education participation to career indecision, career decision-making self-efficacy, and career decision-making rational style among college students (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Temple University, Philadelphia.
12.
BrownS. D. (2015). Career intervention efficacy: Making a difference in people’s life. In HartungP. J.SavickasM.WalshW. B. (Eds.), APA handbook of career intervention (pp. 61–71).
Washington, DC:
American Psychological Association.
13.
BrownS. D.KraneN. E. R.BrecheisenJ.CastelinoP.BudisinI.MillerM., & Edens, L. (2003).
Critical ingredients of career choice interventions: More analyses and new hypotheses. Journal of Vocational Behavior,
62(3), 411–428.
14.
BrownS. D.Ryan KraneN. E. (2000). Four (or five) sessions and a cloud of dust: Old assumptions and new observations about career counseling. In BrownS. D.LentR. W. (Eds.), Handbook of counseling psychology (pp. 740–766).
Hoboken, NJ:
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
15.
Büyükgöze KavasA. (2011). Testing a model of career indecision among university students based on social cognitive career theory (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Turkey.
16.
CardN. A. (2015). Applied meta-analysis for social science research.
New York, NY:
Guilford Publications.
CohenJ. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.).
Hillsdale, NJ:
Erlbaum.
19.
CohenJ. (1992).
A power primer. Psychological Bulletin,
112(1), 155–159.
20.
*DavisJ. B. (1998). The effect of a computer-assisted career guidance system exercise on the career self-efficacy of freshman liberal arts students (Unpublished master’s thesis). University of South Carolina, South Carolina.
21.
*Di-FabioA.MareeJ. G. (2013).
Effectiveness of the career interest profile. Journal of Employment Counseling,
50(3), 110–123.
22.
Di-FabioA.PalazzeschiL.Asulin-PeretzL.GatiI. (2013).
Career indecision versus indecisiveness associations with personality traits and emotional intelligence. Journal of Career Assessment,
21(1), 42–56.
23.
DuvalS.TweedieR. (2000).
Trim and fill: A simple funnel‐plot–based method of testing and adjusting for publication bias in meta‐analysis. Biometrics,
56(2), 455–463.
24.
EssigG. N.KellyK. R. (2013).
Comparison of the effectiveness of two assessment feedback models in reducing career indecision. Journal of Career Assessment,
21(4), 519–536.
25.
*FoltzB. M.LuzzoD. A. (1998).
Increasing the career decision‐making self‐efficacy of nontraditional college students. Journal of College Counseling,
1(1), 35–44.
26.
GloriaA. M.HirdJ. S. (1999).
Influences of ethnic and nonethnic variables on the career decision-making self-efficacy of college students. The Career Development Quarterly,
48, 157–174.
27.
GuayF.RatelleC. F.SenécalC.LaroseS.DeschênesA. (2006).
Distinguishing developmental from chronic career indecision: Self-efficacy, autonomy, and social support. Journal of Career Assessment,
14(2), 235–251.
28.
*GuillenA. L. (2007). Effectiveness of an outcome expectation intervention for college students (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
29.
HackettG.BetzN. E. (1981).
A self-efficacy approach to the career development of women. Journal of Vocational Behavior,
18(3), 326–339.
30.
HedgesL.OlkinI. (1985). Statistical methods for meta-analysis.
San Diego, CA:
Academic Press.
31.
HedgesL. V. (2009). Statistical considerations. In CooperH.HedgesL. V.ValentineJ. C. (Eds.), The handbook of research synthesis and meta-analysis (pp. 37–47).
New York, NY:
Russell Sage Foundation.
32.
HedgesL. V.VeveaJ. L. (1998).
Fixed-and random-effects models in meta-analysis. Psychological Methods,
3(4), 486–504.
33.
HigginsJ. P. T.GreenS. (2008). Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions.
New York, NY:
John and Wiley.
34.
HollandJ. L.MagoonT. M.SpokaneA. R. (1981).
Counseling psychology: Career interventions, research, and theory. Annual Review of Psychology,
32(1), 279–305.
35.
HollandsworthJ. G.SandiferB. A. (1979).
Behavioral training for increasing effective job-interview skills: Follow-up and evaluation. Journal of Counseling Psychology,
26(5), 448–450.
36.
HouC.WuL.LiuZ. (2014).
Effect of proactive personality and decision-making self-efficacy on career adaptability among Chinese graduates. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal,
42(6), 903–912.
37.
Huedo-MedinaT. B.Sánchez-MecaJ.Marín-MartínezF.BotellaJ. (2006).
Assessing heterogeneity in meta-analysis: Q statistic or I2 index?Psychological Methods,
11(2), 193–206.
38.
*JoslynB. M. (2015). Exploring the impact of a career development intervention on the career decision-making self-efficacy and goal instability of first generation college students, given perceived barriers (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Florida State University, Florida.
39.
JudgeT. A.BonoJ. E. (2001).
Relationship of core self-evaluations traits – Self-esteem, generalized self-efficacy, locus of control, and emotional stability – With job satisfaction and job performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology,
86(1), 80–92.
40.
KlineR. B. (2004). Beyond significance testing: Reforming data analysis methods in behavioral research.
Washington, DC:
American Psychological Association.
41.
LambertM. J.OkiishiJ. C.FinchA. E.JohnsonL. D. (1998).
Outcome assessment: From conceptualization to implementation. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice,
29(1), 63–70.
42.
LanganD.HigginsJ. P.JacksonD.BowdenJ.VeronikiA. A.KontopantelisE. … SimmondsM. (2019).
A comparison of heterogeneity variance estimators in simulated random‐effects meta‐analyses. Research Synthesis Methods,
10(1), 83–98.
43.
LauJ.IoannidisJ. P.TerrinN.SchmidC. H.OlkinI. (2006).
Evidence based medicine: The case of the misleading funnel plot. British Medical Journal,
333(7568), 597–600.
44.
LeeC. M. C. (2007). Career maturity, career decision-making self-efficacy, interdependent self-construal, locus of control and gender role ideology of Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong.
45.
LentR. W.BrownS. D.HackettG. (1994).
Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior,
45(1), 79–122.
46.
LevinsonE. M.OhlerD. L.CaswellS.KiewraK. (1998).
Six approaches to the assessment of career maturity. Journal of Counseling and Development,
76(4), 475–482.
47.
LightR. J.PillemerD. B. (1984). Quantitative procedures. In Summing up: The science of reviewing research. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
48.
*LipJ. S. (2014). The effects of a career-planning course on community college students’ career self-efficacy and career indecisiveness (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Wayne State University, Michigan.
49.
LipseyM. W.WilsonD. B. (2001). Practical meta-analysis.
New York, NY:
SAGE Publications, Inc.
50.
LuzzoA. (1993).
Value of career-decision-making self-efficacy in predicting career-decision-making attitudes and skills. Journal of Counseling Psychology,
40(2), 194–199.
51.
LuzzoD. A. (1995).
Gender differences in college students’ career maturity and perceived barriers in career development. Journal of Counseling & Development,
73(3), 319–322.
52.
*LuzzoD. A.DayM. A. (1999).
Effects of Strong Interest Inventory feedback on career decision-making self-efficacy and social cognitive career beliefs. Journal of Career Assessment,
7(1), 1–17.
53.
*LuzzoD. A.FunkD. P.StrangJ. (1996).
Attributional retraining increases career decision-making self-efficacy. The Career Development Quarterly,
44(4), 378–387.
54.
*MaplesM. R.LuzzoD. A. (2005).
Evaluating DISCOVER’s effectiveness in enhancing college students’ social cognitive career development. The Career Development Quarterly,
53(3), 274–285.
55.
*McLarenM. R. (2013). Moderators of efficacy for a computer-assisted career guidance system (CACGS) intervention (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Colorado State University, Colorado.
56.
*NguyenJ. H. (2005). Impact of group intervention on problem-solving and self-efficacy in career decision-making (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Drexel University, Philadelphia.
57.
OliverL. W.SpokaneA. R. (1988).
Career-intervention outcome: What contributes to client gain?Journal of Counseling Psychology,
35(4), 447–462.
58.
*OreshnickC. A. (1991). Enhancing career decision-making self-efficacy via a university career course intervention (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Iowa State University, Iowa.
59.
OvertonR. C. (1998).
A comparison of fixed-effects and mixed (random-effects) models for meta-analysis tests of moderator variable effects. Psychological Methods,
3(3), 354–379.
60.
PetersonS. L. (1993).
Career decision-making self-efficacy and institutional integration of underprepared college students. Research in Higher Education,
34(6), 659–685.
61.
PetersonS. L.DelmasR. C. (2001).
Effects of career decision-making self-efficacy and degree utility on student persistence: A path analytic study. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice,
3(3), 285–299.
62.
*ReeseR. J.MillerC. D. (2006).
Effects of a university career development course on career decision-making self-efficacy. Journal of Career Assessment,
14(2), 252–266.
63.
RyanN. E. (1999). Career counseling and career choice goal attainment: A meta-analytically derived model for career counseling practice (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Loyola University, Chicago.
64.
*SalterS. K. (2008). Comparing outcomes of two instructional approaches to a career development course (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Auburn University, Alabama.
65.
SandlerM. E. (2000).
Career decision-making self-efficacy, perceived stress and an integrated model of student persistence: A structural model of finances, attitudes, behavior and career development. Research in Higher Education,
41(5), 537–580.
66.
ScottA. B.CianiK. D. (2008).
Effects of an undergraduate career class on men’s and women’s career decision-making self-efficacy and vocational identity. Journal of Career Development,
34(3), 263–285.
67.
ShoffnerM. F. (2006). Career counseling: Theoretical perspectives. In CapuzziD.StaufferM. D. (Eds.), Career counseling: Foundations, perspectives, and applications (pp. 1–64).
Boston, MA:
Pearson Education.
68.
SnevaJ. N. (2011). Exploring career decision-making self-efficacy, career maturity attitudes and racial identity attitudes of college students of color (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University at Buffalo, New York.
69.
StajkovicA. D.LuthansF. (1998).
Self-efficacy and work-related performance: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin,
124(2), 240–261.
70.
SuperE. D.CritesJ. O.HummelR. C.MoserH. P.OverstreetP. L.WarnathC. F. (1957). Vocational development a framework for research.
New York, NY:
Teachers College Press.
71.
SwansonJ. L.FouadN. A. (2015). Career theory and practice: Learning through case studies.
Thousand Oaks, CA:
SAGE Publications.
72.
TaylorK. M.BetzN. E. (1983).
Applications of self-efficacy theory to the understanding and treatment of career indecision. Journal of Vocational Behavior,
22(1), 63–81.
73.
TuttleB. D.IsenburgM. V.SchardtC.PowersA. (2009).
PubMed instruction for medical students: Searching for a better way. Medical Reference Services Quarterly,
28(3), 199–210.
74.
*UffelmanR. A.SubichL. M.DiegelmanN. M.WagnerK. S.BardashR. J. (2004).
Effect of mode of interest assessment on clients’ career decision-making self-efficacy. Journal of Career Assessment,
12(4), 366–380.
75.
*WangJ. L.ZhangD. J.ShaoJ. J. (2010).
Group training on the improvement of college students’ career decision-making self-efficacy. Health,
2(06), 551–556.
76.
WhistonS. C.BrecheisenB. K.StephensJ. (2003).
Does treatment modality affect career counseling effectiveness?Journal of Vocational Behavior,
62(3), 390–410.
77.
WhistonS. C.LiY.MittsN. G.WrightL. (2017).
Effectiveness of career choice interventions: A meta-analytic replication and extension. Journal of Vocational Behavior,
100, 175–184.
78.
WhistonS. C.SextonT. L.LasoffD. L. (1998).
Career-intervention outcome: A replication and extension of Oliver and Spokane (1988). Journal of Counseling Psychology,
45(2), 150–165.
79.
*WisemanB. K. (1988). The influence of a career course and a career course cognitive restructuring combination on self-efficacy, career decidedness and career indecision (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Ohio University, Ohio.
80.
YeY. (2014).
Role of career decision-making self-efficacy and risk of career options on career decision-making of Chinese graduates. Psychological Reports,
114(2), 625–634.
81.
ZiebellJ. L. C. (2010). Promoting viable career choice goals through career decision-making self-efficacy and career maturity in inner-city high school students: A test of social cognitive career theory (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation). The University of Minnesota, Minnesota.
