Person- and System-Focused Prevention in Preparing Youth to Navigate an Uncertain Work Future

Abstract

In this article, we discuss the integration of prevention science and vocational psychology for person- and system-focused prevention with a critical social justice agenda. More specifically, we focus on career development education as a potentially transformative primary prevention activity for increasing youth access to decent work and lives of well-being. We consider this as a critical agenda for two reasons. First, there are continued declines in the availability of decent work on a global level. In addition, youth who are marginalized by society are particularly vulnerable in competing for access to such dwindling opportunities and in thriving in communities and workplaces characterized by oppressive policies and practices. Building upon previous work in prevention and vocational psychology from a social justice perspective, we suggest that the psychology of working theory (PWT) can serve as a conceptual framework for developing and evaluating person- and system-focused preventive interventions that will address marginalization and seek to prepare all youth for an uncertain and shifting work future.

Keywords

prevention vocational psychology youth race ethnicity psychology of working

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Albee

G. W.

(1986). Toward a just society: Lessons from observations on the primary prevention of psychopathology. American Psychologist, 41(8), 891–898. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.41.8.891

Albee

G. W.

Ryan-Finn

K. D.

(1993). An overview of primary prevention. Journal of Counseling & Development, 72(2), 115–123. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6676.1993.tb00909.x

Ali

S. R.

McWhirter

E. H.

Chronister

K. M.

(2005). Self-efficacy and vocational outcome expectations for adolescents of lower socioeconomic status: A pilot study. Journal of Career Assessment, 13(1), 40–58. http://doi.org/10.1177/1069072704270273

Ali

S. R.

Yang

L.-Y.

Button

C. J.

McCoy

T. T. H.

(2012). Career education programming in three diverse high schools: A critical psychology—Case study research approach. Journal of Career Development, 39(4), 357–385. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845311398131

American Psychological Association. (2014). Guidelines for prevention in psychology. The American Psychologist, 69(3), 285–296. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034569

The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2018, May 2). Generation work: Equipping young people with in-demand employment skills and credentials. https://www.aecf.org/resources/generation-work/

Autin

K. L.

Douglass

R. P.

Duffy

R. D.

England

J. W.

Allan

B. A.

(2017). Subjective social status, work volition, and career adaptability: A longitudinal study. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 99, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2016.11.007

Barnes

(2020). Transformative career education in schools and colleges. In Robertson

P. J.

Hooley

McCash

(Eds.), The Oxford handbook of career development. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190069704.013.20

Bartik

T. J.

Hershbein

B. J.

(2016). College grads earn less if they grew up poor. W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. https://research.upjohn.org/reports/219/

10.

Bempechat

Kenny

M. E.

Blustein

Seltzer

J. R.

(2014). Fostering positive youth development through work-based learning: The Cristo Rey model. In Shernoff

D. S.

Bempechat

(Eds.), Yearbook of the national society for the study of education (pp. 232–252). Teachers College Press. https://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentId=18333

11.

Blustein

D. L.

(2006). The psychology of working: A new perspective for career development, counseling and public policy. Lawrence Erlbaum.

12.

Blustein

D. L.

(2008). The role of work in psychological health and well-being: A conceptual, historical, and public policy perspective. American Psychologist, 63(4), 228–240. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.63.4.228

13.

Blustein

D. L.

Ali

S. R.

Flores

L. Y.

(2019). Vocational psychology: Expanding the vision and enhancing the impact. The Counseling Psychologist, 47(2), 166–221. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000019861213

14.

Blustein

D. L.

Kenny

M. E.

(2020). The psychology of working theory: A theory of change for personal and systemic intervention. In Hoffman

Collins

M. L.

(Eds.), Teaching students about the world of work: A challenge to postsecondary educators (pp. 101–112). Harvard Education Press.

15.

Blustein

D. L.

Kenny

M. E.

Autin

Duffy

(2019). The psychology of working in practice: A theory of change for a new era. The Career Development Quarterly, 67(3), 236–254. https://doi.org/10.1002/cdq.12193

16.

Brynjolfsson

McAfee

(2014). The second machine age: Work, progress, and prosperity in a time of brilliant technologies. W.W. Norton.

17.

Carlson

E. D.

Engbretson

Chamberlain

R. M.

(2006). Photovoice as a social process of critical consciousness. Qualitative Health Research, 16(6), 836–852. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732306287525

18.

Carr

S. C.

MacLachlan

Furnham

(Eds.). (2012). Humanitarian work psychology. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137015228

19.

Case

Deaton

(2020). Deaths of despair and the future of capitalism. Princeton University Press.

20.

Chen

V. T.

Sharone

(2020, April 19). The second phase of unemployment will be harsher The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/americas-compassion-for-the-unemployed-wont-last/610243/

21.

Couch

K. A.

Fairlie

R. W.

(2020). The impacts of COVID-19 on minority unemployment: First evidence from April 2020 CPS microdata. Social Science Research Network. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3604814

22.

Diemer

M. A.

Blustein

D. L.

(2006). Critical consciousness and career development among urban youth. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68(2), 220–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2005.07.001

23.

Diemer

M. A.

C.-H.

(2011). Critical consciousness and political engagement among marginalized youth. Child Development, 82(6), 1815–1833. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01650.x

24.

Diemer

M. A.

Rapa

L. J.

Voight

A. M.

McWhirter

E. H.

(2016). Critical consciousness: A developmental approach to addressing marginalization and oppression. Child Development Perspectives, 10(4), 216–221. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12193

25.

Di Fabio

Kenny

M. E.

Claudius

. (2017). Preventing distress and promoting psychological well-being in uncertain times through career management intervention. In Israelashvili

Romano

(Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of international prevention science (pp. 233–254). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316104453.012

26.

Duffy

R. D.

Allan

B. A.

England

J. W.

Blustein

D. L.

Autin

K. L.

Douglass

R. P.

Ferreira

Santos

E. J. R.

(2017). The development and initial validation of the Decent Work Scale. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 64(2), 206–221. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000191

27.

Duffy

R. D.

Autin

K. L.

Bott

E. M.

(2015). Work volition and job satisfaction: Examining the role of work meaning and person-environment fit. The Career Development Quarterly, 63(2), 126–140. https://doi.org/10.1002/cdq.12009

28.

Duffy

R. D.

Blustein

D. L.

Allan

B. A.

Diemer

M. A.

Cinamon

R. G.

(2020). Introduction to the special issue: A cross-cultural exploration of decent work. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 116, 103351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2019.103351

29.

Duffy

R. D.

Blustein

D. L.

Diemer

M. A.

Autin

K. L.

(2016). The psychology of working theory. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63(2), 127–148. http://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000140

30.

Duffy

R. D.

Gensmer

Allan

B. A.

Kim

H. J.

Douglass

R. P.

England

J. W.

Autin

K. L.

Blustein

D. L.

(2019). Developing, validating, and testing improved measures within the psychology of working theory. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 112, 199–215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2019.02.012

31.

Fain

(2020, June 17). The pandemic has worsened equity gaps in higher education and work. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/06/17/pandemic-has-worsened-equity-gaps-higher-education-and-work

32.

Fisher

J. F.

(2018). Who you know: Unlocking innovations that expand students’ networks. Jossey-Bass.

33.

Flores

L. Y.

(2013). Race and working. In Blustein

D. L.

(Ed.), The Oxford handbook of the psychology of working (pp. 71–84). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199758791.013.0005

34.

Flores

L. Y.

Martinez

L. D.

McGillen

G. G.

Milord

(2019). Something old and something new: Future directions in vocational research with people of color in the United States. Journal of Career Assessment, 27(2), 187–208. http://doi.org/10.1177/1069072718822461

35.

Fontenot

Semega

Kollar

, & U.S. Census Bureau. (2018, September 12). Current population reports: Income and poverty in the United States: 2017. U.S. Government Printing Office. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2018/demo/p60-263.html

36.

Fouad

(2020). Editor in chief’s introduction to essays on the impact of COVID-19 on work and workers. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 119, 103441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2020.103441

37.

Freire

(1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Continuum.

38.

Godfrey

E. B.

Burson

E. L.

Yanisch

T. M.

Hughes

Way

(2019). A bitter pill to swallow? Patterns of critical consciousness and socioemotional and academic well-being in early adolescence. Developmental Psychology, 55(3), 525–537. http://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000558

39.

Halman

Baker

(2017). Using critical consciousness to inform health professions education: A literature review. Perspectives on Medical Education, 6(1), 12–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40037-016-0324-y

40.

Heberle

A. E.

Rapa

L. J.

Farago

(2020). Critical consciousness in children and adolescents: A systematic review, critical assessment, and recommendations for future research. Psychological Bulletin, 146(6), 525–551. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000230

41.

Hoffman

(2020). Introduction: Why this book? In Hoffman

Collins

M. L.

(Eds.), Teaching students about the world of work: A challenge to postsecondary educators (pp. 1–17). Harvard Education Press.

42.

Hoffman

Collins

M. L.

(Eds.). (2020). Teaching students about the world of work: A challenge to postsecondary educators. Harvard Education Press.

43.

Hooley

Sultana

Thomsen

(Eds.). (2017). Career guidance for social justice: Contesting neoliberalism. Routledge.

44.

International Labour Organization. (2008, June 10). ILO declaration on social justice for a fair globalization. http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—dgreports/—cabinet/documents/genericdocument/wcms_371208.pdf

45.

International Labour Organization. (2020). World employment and social outlook: Trends, 2020. https://www.ilo.org/global/research/global-reports/weso/2020/

46.

Kalleberg

(2009). Precarious work, insecure workers: Employment relations in transition. American Sociological Review, 74(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240907400101

47.

Kantamneni

(2020). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on marginalized populations in the United States: A research agenda. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 119, 103439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2020.103439

48.

Kenny

M. E.

(2013). The promise of work as a component of educational reform. In Blustein

D. L.

(Ed.), The Oxford handbook of the psychology of working (pp. 273–291). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199758791.013.0016

49.

Kenny

M. E.

Blustein

D. L.

Chaves

Grossman

J. M.

Gallagher

L. A.

(2003). The role of perceived barriers and relational support in the educational and vocational lives of urban high school students. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 50(2), 142–155. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.50.2.142

50.

Kenny

M. E.

Blustein

D. L.

Haase

R. F.

Jackson

Perry

(2006). Setting the stage: Career development and the school engagement process. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 53(2), 272–279. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.53.2.272

51.

Kenny

M. E.

Blustein

D. L.

Liang

Klein

Etchie

(2019). Applying the psychology of working theory for transformative career education. Journal of Career Development, 46(6), 623–636. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845319827655

52.

Kenny

M. E.

Hage

S. M.

(2009). The next frontier: Prevention as an instrument of social justice. Journal of Primary Prevention, 30(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-008-0163-7

53.

Kenny

M. E.

Liang

Blustein

D. L.

Konowitz

Meerkins

White

Medvide

M. B.

Gao

Shuqom

(2019). Coping with uncertainty: Cultivating a sense of purpose among youth through innovations in work-based learning experiences. In Maree

J. G.

(Ed.), Handbook of innovative career counseling (pp. 335–355). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22799-9_19

54.

Kenny

M. E.

Medvide

M. B.

(2012). Prevention in pursuit of social justice. In Vera

E. M.

(Ed.), The Oxford handbook of prevention in counseling psychology (pp. 125–140). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195396423.013.0009

55.

Kenny

M. E.

Medvide

M. B.

Minor

K. A.

Walsh-Blair

L. Y.

Bempechat

Seltzer

J. M. R.

Blustein

D. L.

(2015). A qualitative inquiry of the roles, responsibilities, and relationships within work-based learning supervision. Journal of Career Development, 42(2), 117–132. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845314543496

56.

Kenny

M. E.

Sparks

Jackson

(2007). Striving for social justice through interprofessional university school collaboration. In Aldarondo

(Ed.), Advancing social justice through clinical practice (pp. 313–335). Lawrence Erlbaum. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203936689

57.

Kenny

M. E.

Walsh-Blair

L. Y.

(2012). Educational development: Applications. In Fouad

N. A.

Carter

J. A.

Subich

L. M.

(Eds.), APA handbook of counseling psychology. Vol. 2: Practice, intervention, and applications (pp. 29–55). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/13755-002

58.

Kenny

M. E.

Walsh-Blair

L. Y.

Blustein

D. L.

Bempechat

Seltzer

J. R.

(2010). Achievement motivation among urban adolescents: Work hope, autonomy support, and achievement-related beliefs. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 77(2), 205–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2010.02.005

59.

Kozan

Blustein

D. L.

Barnett

Wong

Connors-Kellgren

Haley

Patchen

Olle

Diemer

M. A.

Floyd

Tan

R. P. B.

Wan

(2017). Awakening, efficacy, and action: A qualitative inquiry of a social justice-infused, science education program. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 17(1), 205–234. https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.12136

60.

Lent

R. W.

Brown

S. D.

(2013). Social cognitive model of career self-management: Toward a unifying view of adaptive career behavior across the life span. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 60(4), 557–568. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0033446

61.

Liang

Spencer

West

Rappaport

(2013). Expanding the reach of youth mentoring: Partnering with youth for personal growth and social change. Journal of Adolescence, 36(2), 257–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.10.002

62.

Mann

Kashefpakdel

Percy

(2018). Socialised social capital? The capacity of schools to use careers provision to compensate for social capital deficiencies among teenagers. In Mann

Huddleston

Kashefpakdel

(Eds.), Essays on employer engagement in education (pp. 68–83). Routledge.

63.

Masten

A. S.

(2001). Ordinary magic: Resilience processes in development. American Psychologist, 56(3), 227–238. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.227

64.

McGillen

G. G.

Flores

L. Y.

Seaton

(2020). Work-related barriers experienced by low-income people of color and indigenous individuals. In Hoffman

Collins

M. L.

(Eds.), Teaching students about the world of work: A challenge to postsecondary educators (pp. 113–131). Harvard Education Press.

65.

McWha-Hermann

Maynard

D. C.

Berry

M. O.

(Eds.). (2015). Humanitarian work psychology and the global development agenda: Case studies and interventions. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315682419

66.

McWhirter

E. H.

McWhirter

B. T.

(2016). Critical consciousness and vocational development among Latina/o high school youth: Initial development and testing of a measure. Journal of Career Assessment, 24(3), 543–558. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072715599535

67.

McWhirter

E. H.

Rojas-Araúz

B. O.

Ortega

Combs

Cendejas

McWhirter

B. T.

(2019). ALAS: An intervention to promote career development among Latina/o immigrant high school students. Journal of Career Development, 46(6), 608–622. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845319828543

68.

Miceli

(2020, May 5). COVID-19 and health equity—Underserved, poorly served and never served. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2020/05/covid-19-and-health-equity-serving-the-underserved-poorly-served-and-never-served?

69.

Montero

(2009). Methods for liberation: Critical consciousness in action. In Montero

Sonn

C. C.

(Eds.), Psychology of liberation: Theory and applications (pp. 73–91). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-85784-8_4

70.

Nicotera

Kang

H.-K.

(2009). Beyond diversity courses: Strategies for integrating critical consciousness across social work curriculum. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 29(2), 188–203. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841230802240738

71.

Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development. (2015). Securing livelihoods for all: Foresight for action. Development Centre Studies, OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264231894-en

72.

Patel

(2013). Reimagining existing structure of schooling: Immigrant youth, community partners, and dynamic learning through internship. In Jocson

K. M.

(Ed.), Cultural transformation: Youth and pedagogies of possibility (pp. 97–114). Harvard Education Press.

73.

Paul

K. I.

Moser

(2009). Unemployment impairs mental health: Meta-analyses. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 74(3), 264–282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2009.01.001

74.

Perry

J. C.

President

M. A.

Harmon

J. A.

Mizen

A. S.

Calhoun-Butts

Riley

S. A.

Wallace

E. W.

Barto

L. M.

O’Janpa

Myers

Traylor

Trepal

Williams

Francis

Arendt

(2014). Making my future work: A college and career readiness curriculum. Cleveland State University. https://cmswebprod.csuohio.edu/cehs/sites/csuohio.edu.cehs/files/MMFW%20Curriculum%20Manual%202014.pdf

75.

Porter

Yaffe-Bellany

(2020, May 19). Facing adulthood with an economic disaster’s lasting scars. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/19/business/economy/coronavirus-young-old.html

76.

Prilleltensky

Nelson

(2002). Doing psychology critically: Making a difference in diverse settings. Macmillan International Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4039-1462-0

77.

Prilleltensky

Stead

G. B.

(2013). Critical psychology, well-being, and work. In Blustein

D. L.

(Ed.), The Oxford handbook of the psychology of working (pp. 19–36). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199758791.013.0002

78.

Redd

Moore

K. A.

Andrews

(2020, April 9). Embedding a racial equity perspective in the positive youth development approach. Child Trends. https://www.childtrends.org/publications/embedding-racial-equity-perspective-positive-youth-development-approach

79.

Richardson

M. S.

(2012). Counseling for work and relationship. The Counseling Psychologist, 40(2), 190–242. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000011406452

80.

Roberts

B. W.

Luo

Briley

D. A.

Chow

P. I.

Hill

P. L.

(2017). A systematic review of personality trait change through intervention. Psychological Bulletin, 143(2), 117–141. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000088

81.

Savickas

M. L.

(2013). Career construction theory and practice. In Brown

S. D.

Lent

R. W.

(Eds.), Career development and counselling: Putting theory and research to work (2nd ed., pp. 147–184). John Wiley.

82.

Savickas

M. L.

Porfeli

E. J.

(2012). Career Adapt-Abilities scale: Construction, reliability, and measurement equivalence across 13 countries. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 80(3), 661–673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2012.01.011

83.

Scales

P. C.

Benson

P. L.

Roehlkepartain

E. C.

(2011). Adolescent thriving: The role of sparks, relationships, and empowerment. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 40(3), 263–277. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-010-9578-6

84.

Standing

(2014). A precariat charter: From denizens to citizens. Bloomsbury.

85.

Stanton-Salazar

R. D.

(2011). A social capital framework for the study of institutional agents and their role in the empowerment of low-status students and youth. Youth & Society, 43(3), 1066–1109. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X10382877

86.

Tseng

Easton

J. Q.

Supplee

L. H.

(2017). Research-practice partnerships: Building two-way streets of engagement. Social Policy Report, 30(4), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2379-3988.2017.tb00089.x

87.

Vera

E. M.

Shin

R. Q.

(2006). Promoting strengths in a socially toxic world: Supporting resiliency with systemic interventions. The Counseling Psychologist, 34(1), 80–89. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000005282365

88.

Watts

R. J.

Hipolito-Delgado

C. P.

(2015). Thinking ourselves to liberation? Advancing sociopolitical action in critical consciousness. The Urban Review, 47(5), 847–867. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-015-0341-x

89.

Whiston

S. C.

Rossier

Hernandez Barón

P. M.

(2017). Evidence-based practice in career and workforce development interventions. In Solberg

V. S. H.

Ali

S. R.

(Eds.), The handbook of career and workforce development: Research, practice, and policy (pp. 39–56). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315714769.ch3

90.

Zimmerman

M. A.

Ramírez-Valles

Maton

K. I.

(1999). Resilience among urban African American male adolescents: A study of the protective effects of sociopolitical control on their mental health. American Journal of Community Psychology, 27(6), 733–751. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1022205008237

91.

Zion

Allen

C. D.

Jean

(2015). Enacting a critical pedagogy, influencing teachers’ sociopolitical development. The Urban Review, 47(5), 914–933. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-015-0340-y