The Relationship between Dysfunctional Career Thoughts and Adjustment to Disability in College Students with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between dysfunctional career thoughts and adjustment to disability among college students with learning disabilities. Data were obtained from 153 college students with learning disabilities at a large southern university and 595 general college students from the normative sample of the Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI). Results indicated that college students with learning disabilities had fewer dysfunctional career thoughts in general, less career decision-making confusion, and less commitment anxiety than the normative sample. However, students with learning disabilities had more dysfunctional career thoughts related to external conflict than the normative sample. A relationship was found among the CTI scores and the scores on the adapted Adjustment scale of the Reaction to Impairment and Disability Inventory. Findings indicated that as the prevalence of dysfunctional career thoughts decreased, the positive adjustment to learning disability increased.