The Systems Theory Framework (STF; McMahon & Patton, 1995; Patton & McMahon, 2006) of career development was proposed as a metatheoretical framework that accommodates the contribution of all theories and offers an integrative and coherent framework of career influences. In this article, the author provides an overview of the STF, outlines its…

A new paradigm is implicit within the constructivist and narrative methods for career intervention that have emerged in the 21st century. This article makes that general pattern explicit by abstracting its key elements from the specific instances that substantiate the new conceptual model. The paradigm for life design interventions constructs…

Childhood marks the dawn of vocational development, involving developmental tasks, transitions, and change. Children must acquire the rudiments of career adaptability to envision a future, make educational and vocational decisions, explore self and occupations, and problem solve. The authors situate child vocational development within human life…

This article explores implications of Tiedeman's original theory for career counselors. Some components of the theory seem to be compatible with existing volatile job market conditions. Notions of career path recycling, development in reverse, nonlinear progress, and parallel streams in career development are explored. Suggestions are made for…

Introduces the concept of career rehabilitation, a paradigm that proposes integrating perspectives from vocational rehabilitation and career development. Encourages counselors to assess how vocational handicaps secondary to a disabling problem can affect a client over his or her "worklife" and to adopt a life-span approach to career decision…

The complexity of today's global realities can be overwhelming and result in profound feelings of chaos. While technology has brought great advancements, it has also brought unprecedented rates of change, job loss, a growing disparity is the socio-economic status of individuals, and a shrinking world in which people representing diverse cultures,…

Describes the major elements of a lifespan, life-space approach to career development. Looks at the origins of these elements and briefly describes their evolution. Suggests five categories of possible future refinements in this approach so as to enhance theory building, testing, and synthesizing this model's applicability. (RJM)

Discusses the articles in this journal's special section "Adolescent Career Development in Social Context." Identifies common and integrative themes and discusses the theoretical frameworks provided by life-span career development relational perspectives as possible means of integrating some of the findings. Indicates how the findings can inform…

Presents a broad view with which to survey theory, research, and practice in career exploration. Looks at contributions to career adaptability and applies the "life-career rainbow" to current areas of ambiguity in the career exploration literature. Discusses the theoretical implications of a context-rich view and suggests counseling…

The composite systematic functional objective career exploration program model integrates various career development theoretical approaches. These approaches emphasize self-concept, life values, personality, the environment, and academic achievement and training as separate functions in explaining career development. Current social development in…

Examines the origin and current status of lifespan, life-space theory and proposes one way in which to integrate its three segments. Discusses a functionalist strategy for theory construction and the outcomes and consequences of this strategy. Discusses future directions for theory development, such as career adaptability and planful attitudes.…

Uses the lifespan, life-space model to examine the definition of adaptive decision making. Reviews the existing definition of adaptive decision making as "rational" decision making and offers alternate perspectives on decision making with an emphasis on the implications of using the model. Makes suggestions for future theory, research,…

Compared employed adults' (N=136) career concerns to vocational development tasks in Super's model of maintenance career stage. Found results indicated adaptation not maturation propelled development. Results support posited renewal task which deals with midlife reassessment of career choice and commitment. (Author/CM)