Social indicators, dysfunctional cognitions, and career decision-making self-efficacy in work role participation of TANF recipients.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Identification of cognitive variables that affect how welfare recipients process employment information, make occupational decisions, and solve work problems is important to the design of appropriate job training interventions for this population. This study developed a profile of individuals who receive Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF). It also examined the contribution of selected social indicators and four cognitive constructs to variation in work role participation. Three instruments were administered—the demographic profile and Participation scale of the <italic>Salience Inventory</italic> (Super & Nevill, 1985), the <italic>Career Thoughts Inventory</italic> (Sampson, Peterson, Lenz, Reardon, & Saunders, 1996a), and the <italic> Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form</italic> (Betz, Klein, & Taylor, 1996)—to determine how well race, education level, dysfunctional career thoughts (decision-making confusion, commitment anxiety, external conflict), and career decision-making self-efficacy predicted work role participation in a sample of 104 individuals receiving TANF assistance.
The sample of TANF individuals did not conform to the stereotypical image of welfare recipients in that they were older, better educated, and more heterogeneous than is typically thought. A majority of participants indicated at least some problem with dysfunctional career thoughts with external conflict being the highest level of difficulty. Levels of career decision-making self-efficacy were lower than levels of career self-efficacy in a normative sample of college females with the lowest levels of confidence in career planning and problem-solving tasks. <italic>T</italic>-tests revealed that Black recipients spent more significant time in work activities than White recipients, and non-high school completers indicated more significant decision-making confusion and commitment anxiety but less career decision-making self-efficacy than high school completers. Multiple regression analysis revealed that 11.8 percent of the variance in work role participation could be explained by the social indicators and cognitive variables combined. Supplementary analyses revealed that career decision-making self-efficacy was the single most important predictor of the variables studied.
Results contribute to research literature describing cognitive variables and vocational behavior of socio-economically disadvantaged individuals. Findings may also assist job training practitioners in interventions designed to effect more satisfactory employment outcomes.