This research develops and tests a procedure for interpreting individuals' responses in multiscale career assessments, using the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ). In Study 1, criteria for ascertaining the credibility of responses were developed, based on the judgments of 39 career-counseling experts. In Study 2, the proposed estimate of the responses' differentiation was validated, using the judgments of 140 experts. In Study 3, the procedure for assessing the relative salience of the difficulties was developed and validated by the judgments of Study 2 experts. In Study 4, criteria for determining the confidence in the interpretive feedback, and the need to add reservations to the feedback provided, were validated by the judgments of Study 1 experts. In Study 5, the four stages of interpretation were implemented, using English and Hebrew versions of the CDDQ and Internet and paper-and-pencil versions. Implications for the interpretation of other multiscale career-related measures are discussed.
American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Washington, DC: Author.
2.
Albion, M.J., & Fogarty, G.J. (2002). Factors influencing career decision making in adolescents and adults. Journal of Career Assessment, 10, 91-126.
3.
Amir, T., & Gati, I. (2006). Facets of career decision-making difficulties . British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 34, 483-503.
4.
Barak, A. (2003). Ethical and professional issues in career assessment on the Internet. Journal of Career Assessment, 11, 3-21.
5.
Barak, A., & Buchanan, T. (2004). Internet-based psychological testing and assessment . In R. Kraus, J. S. Zack, & G. Stricker (Eds.), Online counseling: A handbook for mental health professionals (pp. 217-239). New York: Elsevier.
6.
Barak, A., & English, N. (2002). Prospects and limitations of psychological testing on the Internet. Journal of Technology in Human Services, 19, 65-89.
7.
Benbenishty, R. (1992). An overview of methods to elicit and model expert clinical judgment and decision making. Social Service Review , 66, 598-616.
8.
Brown, S.D., Ryan-Krane, N.E., Brecheisen, J., Castelino, P., Budisin, I., Miller, M., et al. (2003). Critical ingredients of career choice interventions: More analyses and new hypotheses. Journal of Vocational Behavior , 62, 411-428.
9.
Butcher, J.N. (1995). How to use computer-based reports. In J. N. Butcher (Ed.), Clinical personality assessment: Practical approaches (pp. 78-94). New York: Oxford University Press.
10.
Code of fair testing practices in education. (2004). Washington, DC: Joint Committee on Testing Practices. (Available from the Joint Committee on Testing Practices, Science Directorate, American Psychological Association, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242; http://www.apa.org/science/jctpweb.html )
11.
Conoley, C.W., Plake, B.S., & Kemmerer, B.E. (1991). Issues in computer-based test interpretative systems. Computers in Human Behavior, 7, 97-101.
12.
Gati. I. (1987). Description and validation of a procedure for the interpretation of an interest inventory score profile. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 34, 141-148.
13.
Gati, I. (1996). Computer-assisted career counseling: Challenges and prospects. In M. L. Savickas & B. W. Walsh (Eds.), Handbook of career counseling theory and practice (pp. 169-190). Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black Publishing.
14.
Gati, I. (2004, June). Challenges and prospects of Internet-based interactive career planning systems. Paper presented at the IAEVG-NCDA Symposium on International Perspectives on Career Development , San Francisco.
15.
Gati, I., & Blumberg, D. (1991). Computer versus counselor interpretation of interest inventories: The case of the Self-Directed Search. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 38, 350-366.
16.
Gati, I., Krausz, M., & Osipow, S.H. (1996). A taxonomy of difficulties in career decision making. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 43, 510-526.
17.
Gati, I., Osipow, S.H., Krausz, M., & Saka, N. (2000). Validity of the Career Decision-making Difficulties Questionnaire: Counselee versus career counselor perceptions. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 56, 99-113.
18.
Gati, I., & Saka, N. (2001a). High school students' career related decision-making difficulties. Journal of Counseling and Development, 79, 331-340.
19.
Gati, I., & Saka, N. (2001b). Internet-based versus paper-and-pencil assessment: Measuring career decision-making difficulties. Journal of Career Assessment, 9, 397-416.
20.
Gore, P.A., Jr., & Leuwerke, W.C. (2000). Information technology for career assessment on the Internet. Journal of Career Assessment , 8, 3-19.
21.
Harris-Bowlsbey, J., Dikel, M.R., & Sampson, J.P. (2002). The Internet: A tool for career planning. Tulsa, OK: National Career Development Association .
Kleiman, T., & Gati, I. (2004). Challenges of Internet-based assessment: Measuring career decision-making difficulties. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 37, 41-55.
24.
Kleiman, T., Gati, I., Peterson, G., Sampson, J., Reardon, R., & Lenz, J. (2004). Dysfunctional thinking and difficulties in career decision making. Journal of Career Assessment, 12, 213-331.
25.
Lancaster, P.L., Rudolph, C., Perkins, S., & Patten, T. (1999). Difficulties in career decision making: A study of the reliability and validity of the career decision difficulties questionnaire . Journal of Career Assessment, 7, 393-413.
26.
Lowman, R.L., & Carson, A.D. (2000). Integrating assessment data into career counseling . In D. A. Luzzo (Ed), Career counseling of college students: An empirical guide to strategies that work (pp. 121-136). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
27.
Maddux, C.D., & Johnson, L. (1998). Computer-assisted assessment. In H. B. Vance (Ed.), Psychological assessment of children: Best practices for school and clinical settings (2nd ed., pp. 87-105). New York: Wiley.
28.
Mau, W.C. (2001). Assessing career decision-making difficulties: A cross-cultural study. Journal of Career Assessment, 9, 353-364.
29.
Morgan, T., & Ness, D. (2003), Career decision making difficulties of first year students. The Canadian Journal of Career Development, 2, 33-37.
30.
Naglieri, J.A., Drasgow, F., Schmit, M., Handler, L., Prifitera, A., Margolis, A., et al. (2004). Psychological testing on the Internet. American Psychologist, 59, 150-162.
31.
Offer, M., & Sampson, J.P. (1999). Quality in the content and use of information and communications technology in guidance. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 27, 501-516.
32.
Oliver, L.W., & Chartrand, J.M. (2000). Strategies for career assessment research on Journal of Career Assessment, 8, 95-103.
33.
Oliver, L.W., & Zack, J.S. (1999). Career assessment on the Internet: An exploratory study. Journal of Career Assessment, 7, 323-356.
34.
Osipow, S.H. (1999). Assessing career indecision. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 55, 147-154.
35.
Osipow, S.H., Carney, C.G., & Barak, A. (1976). A scale of educational-vocational undecidedness: A typological approach. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 9, 233-243.
36.
Osipow, S.H., & Gati, I. (1998). Construct and concurrent validity of the career decision-making difficulties questionnaire. Journal of Career Assessment, 6, 347-364.
37.
Reile, D.M., & Harris-Bowlsbey, J. (2000). Using the Internet in career planning and assessment. Journal of Career Assessment , 8, 69-84.
38.
Saka, N., Gati, I., & Kelly, K.R. (in press). Emotional and personality-related aspects of career decision-making difficulties. Journal of Career Assessment.
39.
Sampson, J.P., & Bloom, J.W. (2001). The potential for success and failure of computer applications in counseling and guidance. In D. C. Locke, J. E. Myers, & E. L. Herr (Eds.), The handbook of counseling (pp. 613-627). Thousands Oaks, CA: Sage.
40.
Sampson, J.P., & Lumsden, J.A. (2000). Ethical issues in the design and use of Internet-based career assessment. Journal of Career Assessment, 8, 21-35.
41.
Sampson, J.P., Lumsden, J.A., & Carr, D.L. (2001). Computer-assisted career assessment. In J. T. Kapes & E. A. Whitfield (Eds.), A counselor's guide to career assessment instruments (4th ed., pp. 47-63). Columbus, OH: National Career Development Association.
Sampson, J.P.Purgar, M.P., & Shy, J.D. (2003). Computer-based test interpretation in career assessment: Ethical and professional issues. Journal of Career Assessment , 11, 22-39.
44.
Schulenberg, S.E., & Yutrzenka, B.A. (2004). Ethical issues in the use of computerized assessment. Computers in Human Behavior , 20, 477-490.
45.
Strahan, R.F., & Kelly, A.E. (1994). Showing clients what their profiles means. Journal of Counseling and Development, 72, 329-331.
46.
Tien, S. H. L (2005). The validation of the career decision-making difficulties scale in a Chinese culture. Journal of Career Assessment, 13, 114-127.
47.
Tinsley, H.E.A., & Chu, S. (1999). Research on test and interest inventory interpretation outcomes. In A. R. Spokane and M. L. Savickas (Eds.), Vocational interests: Meaning, measurement, and counseling use (pp.257-276). Palo Alto, CA : Davies-Black.
