An investigation of vocational counseling effectiveness and its relationship to selected background and personal characteristics

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine vocational counseling effectiveness in an on-the-job counseling task by comparing student ratings of vocational counselors: regular counselors, and vocational teachers. A second purpose was to determine those background and personal characteristics of counselors which were significantly related to counseling effectiveness. An experimental procedure was employed. The subjects for the study were 25 vocational counselors, 25 regular school counselors and 25 vocational teachers selected at random with the cooperation of school principals. In addition, 787 sophomore students, 30 from each participating school district were selected at random to participate. The study used a variation of the Randomized Control Group Post Test Only Design (Van Dalen, 1966). The design called for the Pre-Test to consist of randomized selection of vocational counselors, regular counselors, and vocational teachers. The random selection and assignment of 787 Sophomore Students for the study resulted in 262 students each being members of the treatment group and 525 students each being members of two control groups. Experimental treatment consisted of approximately one hour of vocational counseling by a vocational counselor for each student. The basis for the counseling was a test results interpretation and career planning session using results from the Ohio Vocational Interest Survey (0VIS). Control groups received counseling by either a regular counselor or a vocational teacher. The Post Test measure of counseling effectiveness was the Counseling Evaluation Inventory (CEI). ...