Purpose

We applied Barnes’s self-efficacy enhancement approach (e.g., mastery experiences, vicarious learning, verbal persuasion, and perceptions of psychological states) to two separate evaluation studies focused on teaching career counseling to master’s level rehabilitation counselors-in-training and doctoral level counselor educators-in-training.

Methods

Study 1 employed a pre/post, single group design with 24 master’s level rehabilitation counselors-in-training. Study 2 employed a longitudinal, single group design with 13 counselor education doctoral students. Students in each study participated in a 14-week semester-length career counseling course designed using Barnes’s self-efficacy enhancement approach. In both studies, students participated in a mini-practicum, completed several measures of self-efficacy and perceived competence during multiple time points across the semester.

Results

Findings from Study 1 indicated an increase in career counseling self-efficacy and helping skills self-efficacy. Findings from Study 2 indicated an increase in career counseling self-efficacy and perceived counseling skills when working with people with disabilities.

Conclusion

Findings from Study 1 and Study 2 support Barnes’s self-efficacy enhancement approach when teaching career counseling to rehabilitation counselors-in-training and doctoral students in counselor education.

Purpose

The present article provides a narrative review of Australia’s approach toward acquired brain injury (ABI) and proposes how Australia and the United States can collaborate to improve service delivery for persons with ABI and their families with epidemiology, healthcare, prevention, research, and training.

Method

A narrative review of journal articles, government documents, and websites was completed to present a broad overview of Australia’s approach toward meeting the needs of persons with ABI.

Results

The narrative review and synthesis of publications were summarized into the following categories: a) overview of ABI in Australia, b) long-term care government programs, c) services and advocacy, d) research and training, and e) recommendations for Australian-U.S. collaborations.

Conclusion

The current time presents an opportunity for Australia and the United States to collaboratively address areas of common ABI need by dialogue, collaboration, and academic engagement, which may lead to better outcomes for persons with ABI by the sharing of research findings, service approaches, advocacy efforts, and rehabilitation counselor training. Rehabilitation counselors in Australia and the United States should lead the process of collaboration and engagement around common areas of ABI need.

Purpose

The purpose of this in-depth case study was to better understand how practices, policies, and structures contributed to a large health care organization’s track record of hiring, training, and retaining persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Method

We conducted in-depth interviews with 63 key informants across four hospitals in the hospital system. Within each site, we recruited participants from multiple-levels of the organization to understand the complexity of employment practices. Content analysis was used to analyze participant response to open-ended questions.

Results

Providing appropriate supports, including clearly defined job roles that are aligned with employee abilities, ongoing coaching and support, and purposeful efforts to integrate PWDs into the broader organization, are important elements of ongoing success. Invested leadership, alignment across organizational structures, and building partnerships with organizations with knowledge and skill in supporting PWDs are additional critical success factors.

Conclusions

Findings indicate that it is imperative for organizations wishing to strengthen their hiring practices for PWDs to develop a culture that embraces a person-first approach. As evidenced here, in an environment where all employees feel supported, valued, and as if there is room for growth, there is opportunity for employees with disabilities to be viewed through a positive, developmental, and generous lens.

PURPOSE

Understanding the career decision self-efficacy and outcome expectations of college students with disabilities (CSWD) are important to ensure their career-related activities participation and transition into the workforce. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the influences of disability identity, ethnic identity, perceptions of career barriers, and social supports on the career decision self-efficacy and outcome expectations of CSWD.

METHOD

The study utilized a cross-sectional survey design and the sample consisted of 312 CSWD recruited at two 4-year universities in Midwestern and Southeastern areas. A series of hierarchical regression analyses was used to examine the factors, including disability identity, ethnic identity, social support, perceived career barriers, ethnicity, gender, and disability types affect career decision self-efficacy, and career outcome expectations of CSWD.

RESULTS

The results showed that 30.1% of variability, F(7, 248) = 15.272, p < .001, in career decision self-efficacy was explained by disability identity, ethnic identity, social support, perceived career barriers, ethnicity, gender, and disability type. Social support was the largest contributor to career decision self-efficacy. In addition, 56.1% of variability, F(8, 247) = 39.433, p < .001, in career outcome expectations was explained by disability identity, ethnic identity, social support, perceived career barriers, career decision self-efficacy, ethnicity and gender. Career decision self-efficacy was the largest contributor to career outcome expectations.

CONCLUSIONS

Several implications for rehabilitation professionals, educators, and researchers are provided.

First, the intersection of social identities (i.e., disability identity and ethnicity identity) requires increased attention in the rehabilitation fields. Sociocultural backgrounds and diverse identities are factors that have been identified as influencing career development of CSWD. Rehabilitation counselors and relevant professionals can play critical roles in supporting and empowering CSWD to develop positive disability and ethnic identities within the postsecondary education environments. Second, appropriate social support from family, peers, faculty, and disability service specialists, inclusive campus climate, and career-related development support in postsecondary education are essential for positive career outcomes of CSWD. Lastly, the effective career services could assist underrepresented CSWD building a sense of identity, confidence, and beliefs of competencies for career decisions and career outcomes, also, eliminate perceptions of career barriers attributing to intersecting multiple identities.

Purpose

This study explored the acceptability and practicality of implementing a Direct Skills Teaching (DST) approach to increase job interview preparation for individuals who were receiving state vocational rehabilitation (VR) services in four states.

Method

Counselors-in-training facilitated a four-session curriculum teaching “Presenting Qualifications” during job interviews to 137 individuals in 25 groups settings. Pre- and post-group 10-item questionnaires of skill acquisition, and a post-group satisfaction survey with open-ended questions were administered. Descriptive statistics and a nonparametric Wilcoxon signed rank test were used for data analyses.

Results

All 10 items of the pre- and post-group questionnaire comparisons yielded significant improvement in the skill of “Presenting Qualifications” after group intervention. The satisfaction survey also indicated the positive experiences of participants.

Conclusions

The findings demonstrate the feasibility of a structured DST curriculum in teaching job interview skills to people with disabilities (including transition age youth) served by state VR agencies.