WORKING WITH MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES

 

Develop an advocacy statement that addresses the importance of diversity and advocacy as it relates to career counseling. When creating your advocacy statement, be sure to address the key components of advocacy, including a discussion of how you might advocate for clients and students across micro, meso, and macro levels of society. Much like a theoretical orientation statement, your goal is to describe your commitment to social change and advocacy for all clients and students in a fair and safe manner.

• Note: Your advocacy statement should be one to two paragraphs in length. A meaningful statement requires more than a simple sentence stating your beliefs or aspirations. Your advocacy statement should be a tool to begin dialogue between you and your clients/students to explain the ways you work in your role as a counselor to address the needs of clients/students who may be marginalized on the basis of some aspect of their social identity.

Describe how your clients or students might be challenged by various sociocultural factors on their career development. Then, in 2-3 pages,

• Describe three culturally sensitive ways in which you might apply career development theories while also addressing these socioculural factors.
• Include specific advocacy strategies to address the client’s/student’s needs at the appropriate levels.

You must cite at least 2 peer-reviewed articles to justify how you are addressing the sociocultural factors and the specific advocacy strategies you selected.

Reflection Paper: Working With Marginalized Communities

Student Name Here

Walden University

Reflection Paper: Working With Marginalized Communities

Provide a brief introduction to your paper here. The title serves as your introductory heading, so avoid a heading titled “Introduction.” Here, you will briefly identify the topic of your reflection, which is ways in which sociocultural factors might influence the career development of your future clients or students, and how you might address these factors as their counselor. Start first by writing a sentence or two introducing the reader to the topic of the reflection. For example, briefly highlight the types of sociocultural factors that influence career development, and the counselor’s role as an advocate in mitigating these factors. Then, follow up with a statement describing the specific purpose of this particular assignment. In other words, describe how your clients or students might be challenged by various sociocultural factors, the culturally sensitive ways you might apply career theories with these clients, and the ways you might advocate on their behalf. When describing your purpose, be sure to review the directions for the assignment (located in the classroom) to ensure you are attending to each element of the reflection. Remember, you need a minimum of three sentences to make a paragraph. At the end of your introduction, include a sentence outlining which topics will be discussed and in which order.

Advocacy Statement

This section of your paper should consist of one to two paragraphs. In these paragraphs, you should develop an advocacy statement that addresses the importance of diversity and advocacy as it relates to career counseling. When creating your advocacy statement, be sure to address the key components of advocacy, including a discussion of how you might advocate for clients and students across the micro, meso, and macro levels of society. Much like a theoretical orientation statement, your goal is to describe your commitment to social change and advocacy for all clients and students in a fair and safe manner. This statement should be written as if speaking directly to a client or student.

Culturally Sensitive Career Counseling

The paragraphs in this section should be a discussion of the setting you hope to work in as a counselor, the types of career needs that are characteristic of the population in this setting, any sociocultural factors that might influence career development and counseling in this population, and culturally sensitive considerations you might make while working with this population. For example, students at a high school in a rural community might experience specific career development and counseling needs related to geographic isolation, limited resources, reduced accessibility to higher education, and limited exposure to various occupations, which are factors unique to rural communities (Ball, 2009). Culturally sensitive career counseling on the school counselor’s part might include a focus on balancing personal goals with family obligations and values during career planning as well as numerous career exploration activities to expose students to different occupations. In clinical mental health settings, examples of culturally sensitive strategies for working with racial and ethnic minorities might include being intentional about exploring ways in which barriers, such racism and classism, influence career decision-making and how the intersection between race and gender influence role expectations and perceived career options.

Beyond specific interventions, when thinking about culturally sensitive career counseling, be sure to also consider the other aspects of multicultural counseling such as awareness of one’s own values and beliefs, knowledge of the client’s worldview, and cross-cultural communication. For example, your race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or religious background may differ from your clients or students. If so, how might these differences affect the counseling process, and how might you address them? The Multicultural and Advocacy Dimensions (MAD) model reference in the Ratts (2011) in this week’s learning resources provides a useful framework for identifying these considerations.

Advocacy Strategies

Be sure to consult the Ratts (2011) and (2017), articles assigned in Week 5, when developing this section of your paper. In this section of the paper, state the specific advocacy needs of the population you have selected. Then, identify specific advocacy strategies to further address the sociocultural factors you identified for your future clients in the section above. Remember, advocacy is focused specifically on addressing barriers clients experience in the community due to some aspect of a marginalized identity. According to Ratts (2017), individuals with marginalized identities in the United States include people of color; women and transgender or gender non-conforming individuals; the LGBTQ population; individuals in poverty; youth and elders; individuals with physical or mental disabilities; and individuals from religious minorities. Please do not use identities outside of those listed above for the purpose of this paper. When developing specific advocacy strategies, think about how you might intervene on each level of influence discussed in Ratts (2017) (i.e., intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, community, and public policy).

Continuing with the examples from above, advocacy strategies the school counselor in the rural high school might consider include developing school-community partnerships to increase access to various career information or employment opportunities on the institutional level, or hosting career fairs at which families are invited in order to increase support for students on the interpersonal level. In the clinical mental health setting, advocacy strategies might include participating in lobbies to create laws that encourage more equitable hiring practices on the public policy level, or exploring the psychological effects of racism on the intrapersonal level.

Conclusion

Your conclusion section should recap the major points you have made in your paper. However, perhaps more importantly, you should interpret what you have written and what the bigger picture is. Remember, your paper should be 2–3 pages, not counting your title page and reference page. Be sure to include references throughout your paper as necessary.

Always include references on a separate page. APA is very specific about punctuation and how elements of the reference are presented. Every citation should have a reference and vice versa. Use the APA manual to verify your format. Below you will find many examples for you to follow. A formal paper for Walden will require you to use all relevant resources provided in the classroom and one or more scholarly resources from peer-reviewed journals in the Walden library.

6

References

(Please note that the following references are intended as examples only.)

Anderson, E. (2007). The best career activities ever.
The Journal of Ultimate Career Counseling,
19, 4319–4392. Retrieved from http://www.ultimatecareer.org

John, G., & Locke, D. (1973).
Career development at any age. Thousand Oaks, CA: Fairy Tale Publishing.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2007).
How to cite a video: The city is always Baltimore [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2010).
Name of program [Video webcast]. Retrieved from http://www.courseurl.com

Smith, G., & Johnson, N. (2008). Career counseling: Why we need it and can’t live without it.
Career Counseling for Everyone,
25(7), 14–31. doi:10.8220/CTCE.52.1.23-91

330 The Career Development Quarterly December 2013 • Volume 61

© 2013 by the National Career Development Association. All rights reserved.

Received 07/21/12
Revised 10/14/12

Accepted 10/17/12
DOI: 10.1002/j.2161-0045.2013.00059.x

Articles
Building Career PATHS
(Postschool Achievement Through
Higher Skills) for Young Women
With Disabilities

Lauren Lindstrom, Bonnie Doren, Cindy Post,
and Allison Lombardi

The PATHS (Postschool Achievement Through Higher Skills) curriculum is designed
to address the career development needs of young women with disabilities and other
barriers. Participants (N = 110) in a pilot test of the curriculum showed increases in
vocational self-efficacy, social efficacy, and awareness of disability/gender issues related
to career planning, whereas those in the comparison group did not make similar gains.
Qualitative findings from focus groups (N = 68) revealed that PATHS participants
improved in self-confidence, self-awareness, ability to identify strengths, knowledge
of multiple career options, and the capacity to set goals and plan for future careers.

Keywords: career development, gender identity, disability, school-to-work transition

Career development for young women with disabilities is a complex and
multifaceted process that is affected by individual, family, school, and
community experiences (Hogansen, Powers, Geenen, Gil-Kashiwabara,
& Powers, 2008; Lindstrom & Benz, 2002) For young women with
disabilities who are preparing to transition from high school to adult
roles, career options may be constrained by disability barriers and gender
stereotypes, thereby creating a double jeopardy situation (Asch, Rousso,
& Jefferies, 2001; Ferri & Conner, 2010 ) that restricts career develop-
ment and limits postschool employment and educational opportunities.

A number of longitudinal studies (Fabian, 2007; Hasnain & Balcazar,
2009; Rabren, Dunn, & Chambers, 2002) have documented gender dif-
ferences in career outcomes for young adults with disabilities. After leaving
high school, young women with disabilities are less likely to be employed
than are their male peers, regardless of disability type. In a study of 4,571
urban youth with disabilities, Fabian (2007) found that young women were

Lauren Lindstrom, Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Services, and
Bonnie Doren and Allison Lombardi, College of Education, University of Oregon;
Cindy Post, Lane Education Services District, Eugene, Oregon. Bonnie Doren is now
at Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education, University of
Wisconsin–Madison. Allison Lombardi is now at Department of Educational Psychol-
ogy, University of Connecticut. This study was funded by a development grant from the
National Center for Special Education Research, Institute of Educational Sciences, U.S.
Department of Education. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed
to Lauren Lindstrom, Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Services,
College of Education, University of Oregon, 5260 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
97403-5260 (e-mail: lindstrm@uoregon.edu).

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The Career Development Quarterly December 2013 • Volume 61 331

25% less likely to secure jobs than were young men during the 1st year
after leaving high school. Compared to their male peers, young women
with disabilities were also more likely to be employed part time and earn
lower wages, and less likely to work in high-skill/high-wage jobs or obtain
benefits (Doren, Gau, & Lindstrom, 2011; Rabren, Hall, & Brown, 2003;
Wagner, Newman, Cameto, & Levine, 2005).

Career development for young women with disabilities is influenced by a
number of individual and structural barriers. Individual attributes, such as
low self-esteem, limited self-efficacy, and a lack of self-advocacy skills can
restrict the ability of these individuals to fully explore a wide range of career
options (Lindstrom, Harwick, Poppen, & Doren, 2012). Families also play
a key role in career development of young adults with disabilities. Pow-
ers, Hogansesn, Geenen, Powers, and Gil-Kashiwabara (2008) found that
parents may have low aspirations or be overly concerned for their daugh-
ters’ safety, thus limiting their community experiences and potential career
options. In addition, young women in high school who have disabilities
often experience restricted opportunities for career exploration and may
not play an active role in the transition planning process (Ferri & Connor,
2010; Trainor, 2007). They are also less likely than are their male peers to
enroll in vocational courses or participate in community work experiences
(Hogansen et al., 2008; Wagner et al., 2005). Finally, when young women
with disabilities enter the workforce, they may encounter sexual harassment,
disability discrimination, lack of female role models and mentors, and other
barriers to career advancement (Noonan et al., 2004; Smith, 2007) This
restricted set of opportunities and experiences translates to a narrow range
of career interests and aspirations (Gottfredson, 2005), ultimately resulting
in poor long-term educational and employment outcomes.

Curriculum for Postschool Achievement
Through Higher Skills (PATHS)

The PATHS curriculum is a school-based intervention that is designed to
address the poor postschool transition outcomes and lack of career develop-
ment opportunities for young women identified for special education services,
including those with learning, developmental, and physical disabilities. PATHS
is intended to address gender inequities in vocational outcomes through
a comprehensive career development curriculum that targets internal and
external barriers and introduces a wide range of career options.

Development Process of PATHS
PATHS was designed and tested through an iterative development process.
First, our research team analyzed existing state and national data sets to
identify gender differences in high school services, transition planning, and
postschool outcomes for young men and women with disabilities. Next, we
conducted focus groups and individual interviews with (a) young women
with disabilities who were enrolled in college and high school, (b) special
education teachers, (c) school administrators, and (d) employers. The focus
groups and interviews provided in-depth information about the barriers
experienced by young women and the supports needed to prepare them to
succeed in postsecondary education and the workforce (Lindstrom et al.,
2012). These data helped to inform the content and overall design of the
PATHS curriculum. We then used a design experiment process to develop

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332 The Career Development Quarterly December 2013 • Volume 61

the curriculum in conjunction with special education teachers and school
counselors in four high schools. After revising all of the PATHS lessons
and activities, we conducted a pilot study with 110 participants in six high
schools. Through this iterative process, we created a unique curriculum that
is designed to improve educational and career outcomes for young women
with disabilities and other barriers.

Curriculum Components
PATHS is a gender-specific curriculum that is designed to be delivered in
group settings to ninth- to 12th-grade female students with identified dis-
abilities and other barriers. PATHS is divided into four modules covering key
concepts that previous research suggests can influence career development
for young women with disabilities in transition from school to postschool
environments. The modules are self-awareness, disability issues, gender
identity, and career and college planning. Each lesson includes overall learn-
ing objectives, vocabulary, materials needed, structured core activities (e.g.,
discussions, activities, group projects), and additional resources for teachers.
The 77 daily lessons are interactive and designed to be taught in sequence
during 50-minute class periods over an 18-week semester.

Module 1—self-awareness. This module is used to introduce students to
the curriculum and to present concepts for building self-efficacy and self-
confidence. It includes team building and self-awareness activities as well as
lessons that are focused on practicing critical skills for postschool success,
such as communication, decision making, goal setting, time management,
and anger management. At the conclusion of the module, young women
work through a sequence of lessons that are designed to help them identify
and understand personal strengths and abilities. Each student has an op-
portunity to discover her own pattern of using reliable strengths over time;
these strengths are then used to create a plan for a new company or product.

Module 2—disability issues. Lessons in this module are designed to increase
general disability knowledge and awareness as well as promote respectful
treatment and communication about people with disabilities. Although the
majority of students who participated in the PATHS pilot study had learn-
ing disabilities, the lessons offer a broad overview of a variety of disabilities
and allow all students to explore disability issues and social barriers. For
example, one lesson introduces “famous people with disabilities,” provid-
ing a number of role models from politicians to popular singers who have
identified disabilities. The module also includes discussions and activities
related to disability knowledge, information on legal rights and responsi-
bilities in education and employment settings, and a set of lessons that are
focused on communication and disability disclosure. Through these activi-
ties, young women learn to advocate for themselves and identify disability
accommodations they need in work and education settings.

Module 3—gender identity. The purpose of this module is to introduce
topics related to being a woman in the workforce, including gender roles
and expectations, occupational segregation, and the gender wage gap. The
lessons provide an overview of the changing roles of women, models of
women in leadership roles, and information about responding to sexual
harassment in education and employment settings. Young women participate
in activities related to exploring the impact of gender on career choice, learn
about nontraditional occupations, and discuss healthy and unhealthy rela-
tionships. Adult women working in a variety of occupations serve as guest

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The Career Development Quarterly December 2013 • Volume 61 333

speakers for several lessons, providing female role models and expanding
career options that participants can consider.

Module 4—career and college. The final module is focused on planning and
preparation for employment and/or postsecondary education. In this module,
young women are able to integrate the skills and knowledge learned in the first
three modules about self-awareness, disability, and gender identity. They begin
to explore career options and plan for the future, now having a more complete
view of themselves (Gottfredson, 2005). Several lessons in this module use a
free, online web-based career exploration tool called Drive of Your Life (www.
driveofyourlife.org). Other career and college preparation activities include
interest inventories, résumé building, interview practice, reviewing skills for job
success, visits to college campuses, and post-high school planning.

Implementing the PATHS Intervention
The PATHS curriculum was pilot tested in six high schools during one
academic year. Schools were recruited through a county-wide network of
high school transition programs serving youth with disabilities. Participating
schools were located in suburban and rural communities; between 29% and
68% of all enrolled students qualified for free and reduced lunch. (See high
school demographic information in Table 1.) After our initial discussions
with school administrators and counselors, a special education teacher, school
counselor, or other qualified paraprofessional (e.g., transition specialist) was
designated from each participating high school to teach the curriculum. All
PATHS instructors attended an initial 1.5-day workshop prior to teaching
the curriculum, followed by three 2-hour training sessions throughout the
18-week implementation period. School staff recruited young women with
disabilities in Grades 9–12 who needed support for transition and career
planning. Twenty-five young women without identified disabilities and who
school staff considered to be at risk (see Participants section for a description
of this variable) were also referred for the PATHS class. After they provided
informed consent, instructors implemented the daily lessons using the activi-
ties and materials outlined in the curriculum. Young women attended the
PATHS class daily and received high school credit upon completion. Our
research team made weekly visits to all six high schools to observe PATHS
classes, collect fidelity data, obtain ongoing feedback from teachers, and assist
in solving any implementation problems.

TABLE 1

Demographics for High Schools Participating in PATHS (Postschool
Achievement Through Higher Skills) Intervention

High
School

A
B
C
D
E
F

Enrollment Race/Ethnicity

A/PIAI/A Black Hisp. White

Free/Reduced
Lunch

n %

Suburban

Rural

Rural

Suburban
Rural/remote

Rural

1,013
339
457
532
160
399

Note. Total Enroll = total student enrollment; AI/A = American Indian/Alaskan; A/PI = Asian/
Pacific Islander; Hisp. = Hispanic.

Community/
Location

Total
Enroll

32
14
25
11
2
21

45
5
16
5
0
8

51
4
3
11
3
3

126
41
25
48
8
19

793
275
388
457
146
348

365
203
219
276
110
115

36
60
48
52
68
29

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334 The Career Development Quarterly December 2013 • Volume 61

Outcomes
The pilot study used a pre–post control group design to test the promise of
the curriculum to increase critical knowledge and skills linked to important
transition and career outcomes (Lombardi & Doren, 2012). Young women
were selected to either participate in the curriculum (intervention group) or to
receive the typical transition services that were available in their high schools
(comparison group). Students were not randomly assigned; instead, they were
referred to the PATHS program through nominations by a school counselor
or teacher and were then assigned to the intervention or comparison group
on the basis of scheduling needs and restrictions. Students in the comparison
group received typical career and transition services within their high schools,
including (a) career exploration, using online resources; (b) job shadowing
or job site visits; (c) vocational assessments; and (d) individualized transition
planning as a component of the typical individualized education program
(IEP) process for students with identified disabilities.

Participants
Young women participating in the pilot study were enrolled in high
school and ranged in age from 14 to 21 years. On average, there were
10 participants in each PATHS class.

The sample included young women with disabilities who had been identified
for special education (n = 85, 77%) and those designated at risk in their high
schools (n = 25, 23%). In terms of race/ethnicity, participants self-identified
as White (64%), Hispanic (15%), multiple races/ethnicities (13%), African
American (3%), Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (2%), American Indian/
Alaskan Native (1%), and Asian (1%). Primary disabilities for the young
women identified for special education services included specific learning
disability (74%), autism spectrum disorder (8%), multiple disabilities (7%),
intellectual disability (5%), other health impairment (2%), visual impair-
ment (2%), hearing impairment (1%), and orthopedic impairment (1%). A
student was considered at risk if she faced one or more significant barriers,
including academic (e.g., frequent absenteeism, suspension, or dropout
history), family/living (e.g., homelessness, difficult family circumstances,
foster care), employment (no prior work or volunteer experience), high-risk
behaviors (e.g., previous/current substance abuse, prior arrests/jail time),
and health (mental health or chronic health issues).

Pre–Post Survey
We completed a pre–post survey with all young women in the interven-
tion and comparison groups. Using a compilation of validated measures,
we designed the survey to assess skills that were relevant to the four
PATHS curriculum modules. Following is a brief description of the
measures included in the PATHS survey.

Self-awareness, advocacy, and support. We used two subscales from the
Arc’s Self-Determination Scale (Wehmeyer & Kelchner, 1995) to measure
constructs related to self-awareness. The Autonomy subscale measures
the frequency that adolescents with disabilities perform independent tasks
related to adult life. The Self-Realization subscale measures self-awareness
and self-acceptance (e.g., “I know how to make up for my limitations”).
Subscales from the Student Engagement Inventory (Appleton, Christenson,
Kim, & Reschly, 2006) were used to measure perceptions of peer support

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The Career Development Quarterly December 2013 • Volume 61 335

and aspirations (e.g., “I am hopeful about my future”). The Teacher Sup-
port Scale (Metheny, McWhirter, & O’Neil, 2008) was administered to the
intervention group to measure the perceptions of support from the PATHS
teacher (e.g., “helps me understand my strengths”).

Gender identity and disability issues. We developed and tested a curriculum-
based measure with items that were mapped to the curriculum content
regarding disability and gender issues. This measure was designed to assess
students’ level of confidence regarding knowledge related to disability aware-
ness (e.g., “identify different types of disabilities”) and gender awareness
(e.g., “describe differences between traditional and nontraditional careers”).

Career and college preparation. We administered the Vocational Skills Self-
Efficacy Scale (VSSE; McWhirter, Rasheed, & Crothers, 2000) to measure
students’ confidence in completing tasks related to job preparation skills, time
management, and goal setting. Cronbach’s alpha for the VSSE is .97 for a
sample of high school sophomores. The Career Outcome Expectancy Scale
(COE; McWhirter et al., 2000) was also used to measure participants’ level
of agreement with career expectations, satisfaction, and feelings about the
future (e.g., “I will be successful in my chosen career”). Cronbach’s alpha for
the COE is .83 for a sample of high school sophomores. Finally, we used the
Self-Advocacy subscale from the College Students With Disabilities Campus
Climate survey (Lombardi, Gerdes, & Murray, 2011) to measure individual
actions related to disability advocacy in educational environments. Cronbach’s
alpha for this measure is .87. The Social Efficacy subscale from the College
Self-Efficacy Inventory (Solberg, O’Brien, Villareal, Kennel, & Davis, 1993)
was used to measure level of confidence in performing various tasks associ-
ated with student success. Because these subscales were intended for college
students, we made two minor adjustments: For all items, we replaced (a) the
word professor with teacher and (b) the word university with school.

Overall, young women who participated in the PATHS curriculum showed
significant gains in vocational skills self-efficacy, social efficacy, awareness of
disability and gender issues, and bonding with the PATHS teacher. Young
women in the comparison group did not make gains in these areas and
showed significant decreases in career outcome expectations. Using effect
size, constructs that showed a small effect for students in the intervention
group after completing the PATHS class were social efficacy (d = .22),
teacher bonding (d = .29) and vocational skills self-efficacy (d = .38). We
also found a medium effect for gender and disability awareness (d = .60)
for students in the PATHS intervention group. Complete pre–post survey
results for the intervention and comparison groups are presented in Table 2.

Focus Groups
At the conclusion of the pilot test, members of our research team conducted
seven focus groups with all available young women who completed the
PATHS curriculum at the six high schools (n = 68, 93% of intervention
group participants). We also conducted a focus group with all participating
PATHS instructors, using a structured interview protocol. Focus groups
were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. We analyzed the focus group
transcripts, following the multiple-stage process recommended by Miles and
Huberman (1994). First, we coded the data by assigning concrete labels to
individual units of text. Next, we completed a cross-case analysis to docu-
ment major themes that emerged across all seven participant focus groups.

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336 The Career Development Quarterly December 2013 • Volume 61

Focus group interviews allowed us to gain a more in-depth understanding
of the career development process that was facilitated by completing the
sequence of PATHS lessons and activities. Overall, the qualitative findings
were consistent with the quantitative results, demonstrating increases in self-
confidence, self-awareness, and knowledge of an expanded range of career
opportunities. We found that young women with disabilities and those who
were identified as at risk had very similar experiences. One participant with
a learning disability said, “I gained confidence. I am not so afraid now to
be who I am and say what I need to say. I also feel a lot stronger with my
choice of a nontraditional job.” When discussing the impact of the curriculum,
one PATHS teacher noticed, “We have had amazing changes from start to
finish and even still. You wouldn’t believe the way they’ve blossomed along
with their confidence level.” Table 3 presents the (a) key themes expressed
by young women across all focus groups when they were asked to describe
their overall learning experiences and (b) changes in their career goals as a
result of completing the PATHS curriculum.

Summary and Recommendations
Overall, we found that participation in a gender-specific career planning curricu-
lum was an effective tool for advancing career development for young women
with disabilities and other barriers in high school settings. Results from the
pre–post survey documented participants’ gains in vocational self-efficacy and
social efficacy, as well as increased awareness of disability and gender issues related
to career planning. In contrast, young women in the comparison group did
not make gains in these areas and decreased in career outcome expectancy. Focus
group interviews with PATHS teachers and participants provided further evidence
of the impact of the curriculum. Through these qualitative interviews, we found that
young women who completed the PATHS curriculum increased their critical knowl-
edge about career planning. Participants felt much more confident about future career
options and were able to more clearly articulate their individual strengths and skills.

TABLE 2

Pretest and Posttest Survey Results

Survey Construct

Vocational skills self-efficacy
Treatment group (n = 64)
Control group (n = 31)

Social efficacy
Treatment group (n = 66)
Control group (n = 30)

Career outcome expectancy
Treatment group (n = 65)
Control group (n = 31)

Gender and disability awareness
Treatment group (n = 65)
Control (group n = 30)

PATHS teacher bonding
Treatment group (n = 64)

Pretest

SDM M SD t Value

Test Statistic

p d

Note. Results include only participants with complete predata and postdata. d = Cohen’s
d statistic (small effect = .20; medium effect = .50; large effect = .80); PATHS = Postschool
Achievement Through Higher Skills.

3.41
3.64

3.90
4.14

3.27
3.29

3.14
3.21

4.28

0.68
0.67

1.28
0.98

0.50
0.57

0.86
0.91

0.57

3.68
3.53

4.19
4.02

3.32
3.12

3.67
3.18

4.44

0.71
0.68

1.25
0.89

0.44
0.50

0.88
0.78

0.53

3.91
–1.14

2.46
–0.74

0.75
–2.52

4.72
–0.23

2.38

<.001 .263

.015
.461

.456
.017

<.001 .815

.020

.38
–.16

.22
–.12

.10
–.31

.60
–.03

.29

Pretest

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The Career Development Quarterly December 2013 • Volume 61 337

This study had several limitations that should be noted when interpreting
the findings. First, the study included young women with learning disabili-
ties; thus, we have limited information about the impact of the curriculum
for other specific disability groups. Although we used a comparison group,
students were not randomly assigned to treatment and control groups.
Finally, given the size of the sample, the study was clearly underpowered.
We recommend that the study be replicated using a randomized controlled
trial with a much larger sample to further develop and test the effectiveness
of gender-specific career interventions to improve educational and employ-
ment outcomes for young women with disabilities.

Despite these limitations, PATHS has a number of key features that we believe are
essential to fostering career development for young women with disabilities and other
barriers. First, participating in a girls-only environment seemed to be more condu-
cive for discussing core issues related to vocational identity, such as self-awareness,
gender socialization, and disability barriers. Small class sizes and consistent daily
lessons allowed for active discussion, engaging group activities, and opportunities for
bonding among the participants. Indeed, by participating in PATHS, these young
women were able to gain critical self-knowledge and learn about a wide range of
career options, thus broadening their opportunities for postschool success.

References
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TABLE 3

Student Focus Group Results

Topic Question and Major Theme

What is the most important thing you learned by
being in the PATHS class?
1. Confidence and determination to
achieve goals
2. How to identify my strengths
3. Self-awareness and acceptance
4. Empathy/compassion/respect for others
5. Future planning/goal setting
6. Knowledge of disability

How have your goals for the future changed
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1. Awareness of additional career options
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2. Open to pursuing a nontraditional
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3. Increased understanding of post-
secondary education and training
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Sample Interview Data

Note. N = 68. Themes are presented in rank order beginning with the most commonly identi-
fied topic. PATHS = Postschool Achievement Through Higher Skills.

I definitely feel more confident about life af-
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class, because before I did not have a lot
of hope. I wasn’t really going anywhere.

It taught me a lot about myself.
I have learned ways to become who I want

to be.

I learned that my disability can’t stop me.
I’m open to a lot more things.
I think I’ve actually added on and expanded

what I wanted to do. I have multiple options
for me.

Well, at first, to be honest, college wasn’t in
my plans. But, now, I take this class and I
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