The Effect of Rational Emotive Career Coaching on Dysfunctional Career Beliefs in Recent University Graduates

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to determine the effect of rational emotive career coaching on dysfunctional career beliefs in recent university graduates. The research design for the study was a group-randomized trial. The participants of this study were 176 recent university graduates in Enugu State, Nigeria. The instrument titled “Dysfunctional Career Beliefs Scale” was used for data collection. Experts in educational psychology, guidance and counselling and measurement and evaluation at a Federal University in Nigeria validated the instrument. Also, the researchers performed content, construct and concurrent validity of the instrument and used Cronbach alpha method to ascertain the internal consistency of the instrument. Multivariate Analysis of Covariance was performed to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses in the study. Results showed that rational emotive career coaching has a significant effect on dysfunctional career beliefs. Furthermore, there is a significant interaction effect of gender and the treatments on recent university graduates' dysfunctional career beliefs. The researchers recommended, among others, that guidance counsellors should use rational emotive career coaching techniques and skills in reducing dysfunctional career beliefs, unemployed graduates should seek for career counselling from professional counsellors to facilitate their employment process and that governments, institutions, organizations, and individuals should be gender-sensitive on career matters.