We present the PreferenSort, a career counseling instrument that derives counselees' vocational interests from their preferences among occupational titles. The PreferenSort allows for a holistic decision process, while taking into account the full complexity of occupations and encouraging deliberation about one's preferences and acceptable…

We examined a longstanding assumption in vocational psychology that people-things and data-ideas are bipolar dimensions. Two minimal criteria for bipolarity were proposed and examined across 3 studies: (a) The correlation between opposite interest types should be negative; (b) after correcting for systematic responding, the correlation should be…

This article celebrates the 50th anniversary of the introduction of John L. Holland's (1959) theory of vocational personalities and work environments by describing the theory's development and evolution, its instrumentation, and its current status. Hallmarks of Holland's theory are its empirical testability and its user-friendliness. By…

Students (N = 247) responded to Self-Directed Search (SDS) per the standard response format and were also instructed to record a question mark (?) for items about which they were uncertain (item response indecision [IRI]). The initial responses of the 114 participants with a (?) were then reversed and a second SDS summary code was obtained and…

The authors examined U.S. war veterans' career concerns (e.g., interests, personality, barriers, career thoughts) to provide possible avenues for research-based and theory-driven intervention. The veterans who participated in the study were receiving mental health, substance abuse, and vocational services at a residential facility. Participants…

The study used the Self-Directed Search (SDS) and the NEO-FFI to explore profile elevation, four secondary constructs, and the Big Five personality factors in a sample of college students in a career course. Regression model results showed that openness, conscientiousness, differentiation high-low, differentiation Iachan, and consistency accounted…

Replicated findings of Wiggins and Moody (1981). Evaluated four types of high school career exploration programs: cluster (N=53), Career Maturity Inventory (N=52), Career Survey (N=57), and Self-Directed Search/Vocational Preference Inventory (N=55). Results favored latter three programs which allowed students to pursue their own interests instead…

Examined learning outcomes associated with J.L. Holland's Self-Directed Search (SDS). Participants (N=146) were randomly assigned to three conditions: the SDS, an attentional control, and no control. Hypothesized participants who completed the SDS would acquire Holland's complete RIASEC (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, or…

Use of the Self-Directed Search: Computer Version Form R (SDS) with 180 clients (62% women and 38% men, between the ages of 18 and 23) in a college career center is described, with implications for counseling services and research. (Author/KW)

Computed four derivatives of the Self-Directed Search (SDS) and correlated them with other indices of career maturity for 138 community college students. Accuracy in estimating one's SDS profile correlated significantly with five other maturity indices, but the other derivatives tended not to relate to other career maturity criteria. (JAC)

Students from two high schools in Nova Scotia rated the Self-Directed Search (SDS) according to reasonableness and usefulness of the results. The high esteem group reported greater satisfaction on the second criterion. (Author)

Describes correlational analyses between Self-Directed Search (SDS) and the second edition of the Occupational Aptitude Survey and Interest Schedule (OASIS-2). Scales generally correlate significantly at an acceptable level for establishing criterion-related validity. Implications for practitioners using the OASIS-2 are discussed. Includes 26…

The NEO Personality Inventory, Personal Styles Inventory, and Self-Directed Search (SDS) were completed by 319 participants. Higher profile elevation (total score of SDS scales) was associated with higher openness to experience and extraversion and lower depressive personality. Results help interpret high or low SDS profiles. (SK)

Examined interpretations of 100 career counselee's responses to Self-Directed Search (SDS). Found that agreement between scales identified as relevant was as high as agreement among counselors, insignificant correlations between counselors' judgments of counselee's degree of interest crystallization and Holland's (1985) measure of consistency, and…

Using Holland's Self-Directed Search, compares the career interests of 28 adjudicated male adolescents with a normative high school male sample. The mean Artistic score of the adjudicated adolescents was significantly higher than the normative sample. The adjudicated sample showed poor differentiation and significantly higher intercorrelations…