This article begins by reviewing the scientific origins of research on career self-efficacy, highlighting its original development as a means of understanding the career development of women and discussing its development through the years into what is now, along with its extension as social cognitive career theory, a widely applicable major…

This study is a follow-up investigation of the career and life experiences of battered women two years after shelter exit. Using consensual qualitative research, we interviewed 6 women from our original sample of 13 regarding their career and life adjustments and future aspirations. Results indicated that participants generally reported both…

Summarizes Bandura's self-efficacy theory. Reviews occupational, scientific-technical, and mathematics self-efficacy, Holland's hexagonal model, the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale, and the relationship of self-efficacy to vocational interests. Considers the applicability of these concepts to women's career development and assessment. (SK)

Between 1980 and 1993, only 19% of medical school graduates chose faculty appointments with research responsibilities. Women and minorities represent only a small fraction of these, despite their growing numbers. The authors' goal is to study the effects of human agency, particularly self-efficacy, on the career development of physician…

The results of five studies illustrated sound psychometric properties of the CAS when used with adolescent, college, and postcollege samples comprised predominantly of White women. The final eight-item measure demonstrated strong test-retest reliability over a 2-week period and evidenced moderate internal consistency. Convergent validity was…

Female students (n=200) completed the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy (CDMSE) Scale and Career Search Efficacy Scale. Undecided women had lower CDMSE and search self-efficacy than those who had chosen a college major, regardless of whether the major was congruent with their personality type. (Contains 25 references.) (SK)

Social cognitive career theory (SCCT) is a complex and extensively researched theory of career choice and performance. Relationships among several key variables of SCCT, including self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and perceived barriers, and their relationships to career choice were investigated. Contrary to prediction, outcome expectations for…

Since its earliest applications to vocational psychology, self-efficacy has been recognized for its utility with diverse populations, attributable to its attention to environmental influences. Somewhat paradoxically, then, it has also been criticized as being limited in its applicability with people from other cultures, because of its focus on…

Social Cognitive Career Theory suggests that self-efficacy and outcome expectations underlie vocational interests, goals, and actions. Counselors can use this theoretical framework to assess women's perceived career barriers and the effects of personal and contextual factors on vocational choices. (SK)

Little empirical attention has been given to the career development needs of battered women. Using social cognitive career theory, the authors examined the relationships among abuse experiences, perceived career barriers, and contextual supports to the career-related self-efficacy and outcome expectations of 74 European American and ethnic…

Discusses issues involved in the measurement of occupational, math, and career decision-making self-efficacy. Addresses the relationship of self-efficacy to vocational interests and to the career development of women and minority groups. (Contains 97 references.) (SK)

Relationships between college women's experiences of violence from intimate partners, career decision self-efficacy, and perceived career barriers were assessed using social cognitive career theory as a theoretical guide. Among 129 students, sexual coercion was negatively associated with three aspects of career decision self-efficacy…

Using possible selves as a theoretical basis, this study examined self-perceptions of occupational futures by asking 98 undergraduate women to rate feminine, masculine, and neutral jobs as to how expected, feared, and ideal (or hoped for) they were. Participants also identified their most feared job, rated the salience of 10 reasons for this…