Career Development and Diverse Populations

Career Development and Diverse PopulationsChapter 4Definition of Multicultural CounselingPredictions by Johnston and PackerAverage age of workforce will rise while the pool of young workers will decrease.More women will enter the workforce.Minorities will make up a larger share of the new entrants into the workforce.Immigrants will make up the largest share of increase in the population and workforce since World War I.Some Basic FactsUnemployment rate for African Americans has been above 11% each year since 1978 (2 1/2 times the rate for Whites).Only 36.9% of African American men are employed as executives, administrators, salespersons, and managers (compared to 61.8% for White men).Some Basic Facts, continuedMore than half of employed Hispanic women are clerical workers or operatives.Poverty rate of Native Americans is twice (23.7%) that of the general population.Men are 18.7 times as likely to be in higher prestige occupations in science, math, or technology than women.Only 33.6% of persons with disabilities are in the workforce.American AssumptionsIndividualism and autonomyAffluenceOpportunity open to allCentrality of work in peoples livesLinearity and rationality of the career development processUniversal or Culture-Specific Models?Etic perspectives - maintain that career interventions for members of minority groups should be the same as those used for the majority.Emic perspectives - highlight the importance of offering career development interventions that are specific to the clients culture.Universal Elements of Healing in All Cultures (Fischer et al.)The therapeutic relationshipShared worldviewClient expectationsRitual or intervention AcculturationThe process of adopting the cultural traits or social patterns of another group (Stein,1975)Language familiarity and usage, cultural heritage, ethnicity, ethnic pride and identity, interethnic interactions, and interethnic distance influence acculturation (Padilla, 1980)Persons may be marginal (not accepting either culture fully) or bicultural (accepting both fully)Racial Identity ModelsModels of racial identity help us understand that the status of racial identity -- for both counselors and clients -- can influence the career intervention process at several levels.Using AssessmentMust assure that assessment is valid, reliable, and appropriate for the clients cultural and linguistic context.

Must assure that the test does not have cultural bias.Cross ModelPre-encounterEncounterImmersion-EmersionInternalizationInternalization-CommitmentGender Differences in SocializationStereotypically reinforce competition and skill mastery in boys, relationships and connectedness in girls

Affect initial selection of occupation and opportunities for mentoring and promotionFeminist Identity Model (Gysbers, Heppner, & Johnson)Stage 1: Passive AcceptanceStage 2: RevelationStage 3: Embeddedness-EmancipationStage 4: SynthesisStage 5: Active CommitmentSpecial Needs of Women(Cook, Heppner, & OBrien)Dealing with attending to the needs of othersLearning to negotiate in the workplaceAccessing quality child careHandling sexual harassment in the workplaceAccessing mentorsSpecial Needs of MenUnderstanding how socialization has influenced their career behaviorsLearning to express feelingsLearning how to manage and reduce stressIdentifying strategies to participate more fully in life roles other than workFour-Stage Model of Lesbian Identity Development (Sophie)Stage 1: Awareness of homosexual feelings without disclosing these to othersStage 2: Testing and exploration of emerging homosexual identity with limited disclosure to heterosexualsStage 3: Identity acceptance and preference for gay social interactionsStage 4: Identify integration with movement from a dichotomous (homosexual, heterosexual) worldview to integratedSix-Stage Model of Identity Development for Gay Men and Lesbian Women (Cass, 1979)ConfusionComparisonToleranceAcceptancePrideSynthesisDefinition of Persons with DisabilitiesOne who is usually considered to be different from a normal person -- physically, physiologically, neurologically, or psychologically -- because of accident, disease, birth defect, or developmental problem (Herr & Cramer, 1996)Another DefinitionA person who has physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, or has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment (Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990)Americans with Disabilities ActEmployers can only consider essential job functions when hiring or promoting.

Employers must make reasonable accommodations in the workplace.Career Development Issues of Persons with Disabilities (Zunker, 1998)Adjusting to disabilityConfronting attitudinal barriersLack of role modelsDeveloping social/interpersonal skillsDeveloping a positive self-conceptDeveloping skills for independent living

Competencies for Working with Persons with DisabilitiesInterpret and advise about legislation, policy, guidelines, and rightsUse diagnostic and informal assessmentAssess functional limitations and adapt methods of occupational exploration Apply theory to assist with analysis of self-concept or developmental tasks deficitsCompetencies for Working with Persons with Disabilities, continuedEngage in effective individual and group counselingTeam with other specialists for career planning and placementWork with employers to develop or restructure jobsPlan and implement skill-building workshops or experiences

Components of Culturally Sensitive Career Interventions (Herr & Kramer)Possession of knowledge and skills appropriate in any helping relationshipRecognition of personal attitudes and valuesKnowledge of cultural context from which clients comeAbility to identify special needs

Components of Culturally Sensitive Career Interventions, continuedAbility to assist culturally different clients understand that they do have choices, some of which include consequences.Skill to assist culturally different individuals to deal effectively with discrimination when it does occurSkill to discern between client deficits that result from socioeconomic class and those from membership in a racial or ethnic group