Motivational enhancement career intervention for youth with disabilities

Abstract

Youth with disabilities face both internal and external barriers to career development and often experience poor post school outcomes in comparison to their nondisabled peers. The purpose of this study was to design, implement, and evaluate a motivational interviewing-based group career intervention – Motivational Enhancement Group Intervention (MEGI) – focused on increasing self-determination, vocational outcome expectations, and self-efficacy for high school students with disabilities. Based on the Ecological Model of Career Development, MEGI was designed to provide opportunities for active career exploration and choice. A pre-post test research design was used to explore the relationship between the intervention and the main study variables. The sample included 135 high school students and nine interventionists in six schools in the Pacific Northwest. The results of a latent change score model indicated a positive and significant change in students’ vocational skills self-efficacy, self-determination, and vocational outcome expectations.

Keywords::

• motivational interviewing
• disability
• youth
• career development

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the help and support of the following individuals: Ellen McWhirter, Christopher Murray, Susan Stoltenborg, Mark Van Ryzin, Kelsey South, Jennifer Chain, James Sinclair, Eric Garcia, Elisa DeVargas, and Marcus Poppen. Lastly, we would like to thank the Youth Transition Program – Oregon, and the high school students and teachers who participated in this study.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the University of Oregon College of Education and University of Oregon Graduate School graduate student awards.