It is important for career counselors to understand that the existing theories tend to under-explain the role of environmental influences in the career behavior of minority clients (Fouad & Bingham, 1995). According to various scholars, acculturation is a highly important variable in the understanding of the behavior of Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and Native Americans (Arbona, 1990)
It is important for career counselors to understand that the existing theories tend to under-explain the role of environmental influences in the career behavior of minority clients (Fouad & Bingham, 1995). According to various scholars, acculturation is a highly important variable in the understanding of the behavior of Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and Native Americans (Arbona, 1990)
Career Counseling with Multi-cultural Students Good career counseling always takes place within a cultural context, which is true regardless of ethnicity. "However, because traditional career counseling has been formed by White counselors and researchers, the cultural encapsulation of that counseling is often difficult for counselors to see" (Fouad & Bingham, 1995, p
Preferences are behavioral indicators of both cultural awareness and ethnic identification and convey a great deal of information about the extent of an individual's acculturation (Padilla, 1980). The importance of acculturation models in the understanding of vocational behavior of racial and ethnic minorities is further supported by the fact that various studies have shown the value of acculturation as a culture-specific variable in predicting the vocational behavior of these ethnic minority members (Leong & Brown, 1995)
Preferences are behavioral indicators of both cultural awareness and ethnic identification and convey a great deal of information about the extent of an individual's acculturation (Padilla, 1980). The importance of acculturation models in the understanding of vocational behavior of racial and ethnic minorities is further supported by the fact that various studies have shown the value of acculturation as a culture-specific variable in predicting the vocational behavior of these ethnic minority members (Leong & Brown, 1995)
It has been stated that an individual's belonging to a minority group may significantly affect his or her career choices, with the determining issue being the extent to which the individual's social background and experience is different from that of the majority (Roe & Lunneborg, 1991). Racial and Ethnic Identity Ethnic identity includes self-concept and self-identification, a sense of belonging, and both the positive and negative attitudes toward one's ethnic group (McNeill, 2001)
Much of the literature supports the need to incorporate socioeconomic status into models of career development of minorities and to evaluate the effects of socioeconomic status and ethnicity on career behavior. Within Hispanic populations, the level of acculturation, which is tied to socioeconomic status and ethnicity, seems to be an extremely important influence on both educational and career attitudes and behaviors (McWhirter, 1998)
In the acculturation process, basic psychological factors change, such as attitudes and behavior (Padilla, 1980). There are many empirically tested theories of acculturation that explain these complicated psychological processes (Miranda & Umhoefer, 1998)
European vs. African) are highly likely to express their interests, values, and attitudes in very different ways (Nobles, 1976)
Acculturation is the process by which immigrants adapt to the socio-cultural and psychological characteristics of the host society. Acculturation can also be described "as a complex interactional process in which members of the incoming cultural group and members of the host culture may experience change" (Padilla, 1980, p
Although multicultural theory points to the importance of relationships in career progress, little attention has been given to career theory, research, or practice efforts that reflect these worldviews. An integrated understanding and appreciation of cultural heritage, acculturation, generational status, and ethnic identity development is needed to more sensitively approach career counseling from a more meaningful cultural and relational context (Palladino-Shultheiss, 2003)
In examining the impact of cultural diversity on occupational choice and opportunity, it has been suggested that social, rather than physical (genetic), differences may account for ethnic differences in career-choice behavior. It has been stated that an individual's belonging to a minority group may significantly affect his or her career choices, with the determining issue being the extent to which the individual's social background and experience is different from that of the majority (Roe & Lunneborg, 1991)
Values, interests, and familial and interpersonal relationships are largely defined by those world-views, which, in turn, often influence career choice. A minority student's world-view will certainly affect their career decisions in ways that may differ from those of the majority (Sue & Sue, 1990)
S. mainstream culture, while less acculturated individuals identify more with their culture of origin (Tang, 2002)
Despite their individuality, people from the same culture do share common experiences, helping to shape their attitudes, values, expectations, and aspirations. Individuals from different cultural backgrounds can be expected to vary in the expectations, aspirations, and values they bring to the career development process (Tinsley, 1994, p
Despite their growing representation and importance in the American workforce, Hispanics lag behind all other minority groups in the United States in terms of educational achievement. Almost 50% of Hispanic high students drop out of high school, a rate that is twice as high as the drop-out rate for African-Americans and three times higher than the rate for white high school students (Dunn & Griggs, 1999)
164). These constraints are further exacerbated by the fact that an inordinately high percentage (21%) of Hispanics currently drop out of high schools versus 8% of white students and 12% of African-American students (Kolodinsky & Schroder, 2009)
In addition, a majority of Hispanic high school students are inclined to follow their parents' occupational choices without taking into account other potential career possibilities (Dunn & Griggs, 1999). In fact, in far too many cases, career counseling services have simply not been available for Hispanic students in the United States in recent years or, if they have been available, they have lacked the cross-cultural awareness needed to counsel this population appropriately (Lee, 2012)
163). In addition, there are other constraints to career counseling that are specific to Hispanic students, including (a) the definition of the role of the Hispanic helper, (b) the degree to which the student identifies with Hispanic culture, (c) the other roles that the student plays, and (d) an understanding of the importance of family in Hispanic culture (Nelson & Jackson, 2007, p
507). Some especially salient value differences for Hispanic students involve the importance of family, living harmoniously with nature, living in the present, placing an emphasis on being rather than doing, and the subordination of individual to group goals (Watkins & Campbell, 2000)