Reducing dysfunctional career decision-making beliefs: Gender differences in the effectiveness of a group intervention

Dysfunctional career decision-making beliefs can impede individuals' ability to make career decisions. The present research focused on evaluating the effectiveness of a group intervention aimed at facilitating the transition to civilian life of 1,194 young adults before discharge from military service using multivariate multilevel analysis. The results showed gender differences in the strength of dysfunctional career decisionmaking beliefs, as well as in the workshop's effectiveness in reducing them. Before the workshop men reported stronger dysfunctional beliefs than women that involved chance or fate (β =.22) and perceived gender constraints (β =.47). The workshop had a greater effect on women than on men (β = 0.16) in reducing all five types of belief, especially those involving the criticality of the decision (β = 0.20) and perceived gender constraints (β = 0.22). The effectiveness of the workshop in reducing gender-related dysfunctional beliefs varied-it was greater for participants whose gender differed from that of their group facilitator. Implications for theory, future research, and counseling are discussed.