Factors Influencing the Career Decision Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectations of College Students With Disabilities

PURPOSE: Understanding the career decision self-efficacy and outcome expectations of college students with disabilities (CSWD) are important to ensure their career-related activities participation and transition into the workforce. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the influences of disability identity, ethnic identity, perceptions of career barriers, and social supports on the career decision self-efficacy and outcome expectations of CSWD. METHOD: The study utilized a cross-sectional survey design and the sample consisted of 312 CSWD recruited at two 4-year universities in Midwestern and Southeastern areas. A series of hierarchical regression analyses was used to examine the factors, including disability identity, ethnic identity, social support, perceived career barriers, ethnicity, gender, and disability types affect career decision self-efficacy, and career outcome expectations of CSWD. RESULTS: The results showed that 30.1% of variability, F(7, 248) = 15.272, p <.001, in career decision self-efficacy was explained by disability identity, ethnic identity, social support, perceived career barriers, ethnicity, gender, and disability type. Social support was the largest contributor to career decision self-efficacy. In addition, 56.1% of variability, F(8, 247) = 39.433, p <.001, in career outcome expectations was explained by disability identity, ethnic identity, social support, perceived career barriers, career decision self-efficacy, ethnicity and gender. Career decision self-efficacy was the largest contributor to career outcome expectations. CONCLUSIONS: Several implications for rehabilitation professionals, educators, and researchers are provided. First, the intersection of social identities (i.e., disability identity and ethnicity identity) requires increased attention in the rehabilitation fields. Sociocultural backgrounds and diverse identities are factors that have been identified as influencing career development of CSWD. Rehabilitation counselors and relevant professionals can play critical roles in supporting and empowering CSWD to develop positive disability and ethnic identities within the postsecondary education environments. Second, appropriate social support from family, peers, faculty, and disability service specialists, inclusive campus climate, and career-related development support in postsecondary education are essential for positive career outcomes of CSWD. Lastly, the effective career services could assist underrepresented CSWD building a sense of identity, confidence, and beliefs of competencies for career decisions and career outcomes, also, eliminate perceptions of career barriers attributing to intersecting multiple identities.