Person-Environment Congruence and Career Self-Efficacy

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between person-environment congruence and career search and decision- making self-efficacy for a sample of 200 women college students. Self- efficacy was defined by the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale (CDMSES) and the Career Search Efficacy Scale (CSES). The congruent, incongruent, and undecided college major choice groups were defined according to Holland's theory of personality dispositions and work environments. The First Letter of the Holland code and the "C" index were used to define congruence. Findings revealed significant differences between the congruent, incongruent, and undecided groups for the two definitions of congruence for the CSES. The findings varied for the CDMSES. Overall, undecided women reported lower levels of career decision-making self-efficacy and career search self-efficacy than women who had chosen a college major regardless of whether or not the major was congruent with personality type.