Occupational Identity Research Articles

Disabled individuals facing and reacting against identity threat during school-to-work transition

PurposeIn a context in which disabled people are stigmatized, the school-to-work transition threatens the occupational identity to which disabled individuals aspire. This study highlights how students with a disability face and react against identity threat, using identity management strategies and, specifically, identity threat responses when intending to integrate into the workplace.Design/methodology/approachStudents in transition or having recently integrated into the workplace were interviewed to relate their transitioning experience, resulting in a qualitative study based on 31 semi-structured interviews.FindingsThe study reveals that identity threat is experienced during the school-to-work transition process and that disabled individuals do not remain passive but actively fight against it. The participants used four identity management strategies to attempt to counteract such threats. The strategies displayed include identity threat mechanisms such as identity-protection and identity-restructuring responses. The outcomes of these strategies are presented in terms of their positive and backlash effects.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the identity management literature and, more specifically, to the identity threat literature by showing how disabled individuals combine several identity threat responses, which they use as resources to reduce potential harm. New identity threat responses that are particularly crucial in a career management strategy are also highlighted.

Sociodemographic characteristics, occupational characteristics, motivational factors, and job satisfaction among primary health service practitioners

BackgroundThe Chinese Basic Public Health Service has achieved certain results since its implementation. As direct providers, understanding the job satisfaction and its influencing factors among basic public health service practitioners is crucial for enhancing service quality and efficiency. This study examines levels of motivational factors and their contribution to job satisfaction among community health workers in China.MethodsA multistage sampling method was employed to measure socioeconomic and demographic status, motivational factors, and job satisfaction. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess key determinants of job satisfaction.ResultsRegarding overall occupational characteristics, influencing factors of overall and external satisfaction were respondents with different job titles and different working years. Years of service in primary health institutions and different authorized types influence satisfaction across various dimensions, including working arrangement, interpersonal relationship, environment, promotion opportunities, organizational culture, system and policy, professional identity, social identity, and overall, internal, and external satisfaction. Professional title, interpersonal relationship, work arrangement, system and policy, occupational identity, and other dimensions have a positive impact on satisfaction.ConclusionThe overall job satisfaction of essential public health service practitioners is influenced by various factors. Healthcare managers should focus on improving job satisfaction among healthcare workers in low-resource settings. Establishing scientific and reasonable research on the incentive mechanism at grassroots medical institutions can help stabilize the team, enhance staff satisfaction and work performance, and optimize human resource utilization.

How workers construct a sense of positive occupational identity in a contested emerging profession: the case of career coaches

PurposeUsing the empirical context of the coaching profession, this study explores how workers in a partially contested and emerging occupation construct a sense of positive occupational identity.Design/methodology/approachWe adopted a grounded theory method, drawing on interviews with 43 Brazilian career coaches, supplemented by documentary analysis of archival materials related to the profession and non-participant observations conducted during training sessions for these professionals.FindingsParticipants report the ambiguity of their occupational roles as career coaches, with expectations from different groups sometimes aligning and sometimes conflicting. Instead of striving for a homogeneous expectation of how career coaches should be, they suggest finding a sufficient balance between their perceived selves and diverse expectations. This attainable authenticity is reflected in participants' reliance on validation from supportive social groups rather than those who disapprove of career coaching as a vocation. We contend that two combined factors were essential for these professionals in a simultaneously contested and emerging occupation to construct a positive occupational identity. The first involves recognizing that they cannot be entirely authentic in their profession but can be sufficiently authentic. The second is that they should not rely on universal societal approval but instead leverage approval from certain societal groups, accepting that not everyone will approve of them.Originality/valueThis paper represents an original effort to explore how career coaches endeavor to build a positive occupational identity, considering the context of a simultaneously contested and emerging occupation. The simultaneous consideration of these factors, through the specific case of career coaches, was innovative for the literature.

'It’s become a theatre’: relational experiences of family carers and persons living with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) after cognitive impairment emerges

Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can lead to emotional and psychological distress between persons with ALS and their family carers. Many persons with ALS develop cognitive impairment, which limits their ability to process complex information, interact, and communicate. This cognitive decline adds to caregiver burden. Few studies have explored interpersonal relations between persons with ALS and their family carers. Aim To better understand how ALS-associated cognitive impairment influences close relations. Methods Individual semi-structured in-depth, interviews were conducted once, with four persons with ALS and four family carers. Reflexive thematic analysis was used. Results Increased distance of close relations was identified as the overarching theme. Differences and similarities within the data were identified according to the two main themes. The first main theme, Everyday life together but apart: a demanding role to play, was structured according to three subthemes: Keeping the façade of civility, Demanding daily interaction and communication, and Taken for granted changes in everyday roles. The second main theme, Coping with a lost future, was structured according to the two subthemes, Striving to live in the normal present, and Holding on to self. Conclusions and significance Cognitive impairment following ALS can lead to increased relational distance between persons with ALS and their family carers. To ease their burden, professionals should recognize person with ALS’ and family carers’ relational issues and grief at an early stage. Focusing on their occupational identity and valued occupations that are still-accessible may help persons with ALS and family carers regain meaning in everyday life.

The gendering of programmers’ work: taking China’s IT industry as an example

This paper discusses the gendering of programmers’ work in China at both the occupational and work organization levels: the dichotomy between social and technical aspects in programming work leads to a gendered hierarchical division of labor that undermines the legitimacy of women programmers’ professional identities. Additionally, the combination of the overtime culture in technology companies and traditional gender role expectations makes women more likely to face work‒family conflicts. This paper uses the concept of embodiment to analyze women’s experiences of exclusion and women’s motivation to reconcile their gender and occupational identities and plan their career development. Thus, it simultaneously reveals how gender rules operate and how they may be changed in programming work.

An exploration of women’s occupational participation and identity during menopause: Descriptive qualitative study

Background: The menopause transition is a significant stage of a woman’s life, marking the transition from reproductive to postreproductive life. Occupational identity often shifts in response to life transitions but this has not been explored in relation to menopause. Therefore, our study aims to explore women’s experiences of menopause through an occupational perspective, in relation to occupational participation and occupational identity. Method: A descriptive qualitative design was implemented. Semistructured interviews were completed with five perimenopausal women online via Microsoft teams. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to analyse data gathered. Findings: The findings of this study revealed that a lack of understanding and awareness during the initial stages of menopause negatively affected women’s well-being. Women faced disruptions to their engagement in meaningful occupations, which in turn, impacted their occupational competence and occupational identity. The experience of menopausal-related changes influenced women’s sense of self-efficacy in engaging in occupations and roles that aligned with their occupational identity. Conclusion: Women face significant occupational disruption during the menopause transition. Negative impacts on occupational identity and participation were evident from the participants. This study explores menopausal women’s experiences from an occupational perspective and findings offer potential direction for future research.

중등 진로전담교사의 심리적 소진 경험에 관한 현상학적 연구

Objectives The purpose of this study is to deeply explore the essence and meaning of the psychological burnout experiences of secondary school career guidance teachers. Methods To achieve this, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 career guidance teachers from middle and high schools between May and October 2024. The collected data were analyzed using phenomenological research method, which explores everyday experiences and elucidates their essential structures, to identify common experiences among the participants. Results The analysis revealed five major themes: ‘Pressure from Uncomfortable External and Internal Gaze,’ ‘Struggling Against Distorted Perspectives,’ ‘Unique Psychological Pressure of Being a Career Guidance Teacher,’ ‘Anxiety in a Dual Position,’ and ‘Ongoing Burnout and Self-Reflection.’ Additionally, 13 sub-themes such as ‘Fish on the Chopping Board’ and ‘Self-Censorship and Internal Surveillance,’ and 35 meaning units including ‘A Position of Envy’ and ‘Subject of Curiosity’ were derived. Conclusions This study examined in detail how career guidance teachers are situated in psychologically exhausting work environments, while also being viewed through the lens of ‘an easy position’ within the school. The findings provide foundational data to reduce the structural misunderstandings about career guidance teachers, enhance the understanding of their unique value and necessity, and ensure the establishment of a restorative occupational identity for career guidance teachers. The study contributes to raising appropriate awareness among school stakeholders.

Facing the paradox of professionalizing peer roles in MH services: how addressing self-disclosure with self-determination theory might help.

Peer Support Workers (PSWs) play a crucial role in recovery-oriented mental health services. They offer support and hope by sharing their personal experiences and recovery journeys. However, transitioning from voluntary self-help roles to paid positions within statutory systems is not merely a technical shift. This change creates inherent tensions and conflicts, stemming from the integration of a peer model within a medical framework. I refer to the interface between these models as the "Professional-Peer Paradox" (PPP). At its heart, this paradox questions whether and how PSWs can integrate a role that relies on self-disclosure of shared lived experiences within a system rooted in professional knowledge norms delivered unidirectionally to service recipients. Using a whole organizational approach, I propose leveraging the autonomy-supportive environment concept from self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 2000) to promote self-disclosure in mental health services. I highlight the complexities involved in Peer Support Workers' (PSWs) use of self-disclosure (lived experience) within statutory mental health (MH) services. I suggest that PSWs can better commit to their unique roles by structuring multiple peer roles with varying levels of self-disclosure and creating a culture that fosters peer practice. Overall, applying a SDT systems' framework to the practice of self-disclosure can enhance the occupational identity of PSWs, establishing their unique position within the spectrum of mental health professions globally.

Evaluation of the relationship between adversity quotient, professional identity, and perceived humanistic care of head nurses in Master’s Degrees in nursings

ABSTRACT Background: High-level nursing talents play an important role in solving nursing scientific problems and leading nursing innovation, so the construction of high-level nursing talents has become a necessary guarantee for the health strategy in the new era. Managers have high expectations for master’s degree in nursing, hoping that they will develop in all aspects of research, teaching, and professionalism, etc. However, the high expectations of managers have led to unclear job orientation, high clinical and scientific research pressure, and low recognition of nurses’ sense of professional value from the outside world, which have led to the lowering of master’s degree of professional identity and the tendency to leave the profession, which is not conducive to the stabilization of the nursing workforce. Purpose: To explore the influence of adversity quotient, perceived humanistic care of nurse leaders on professional identity of nursing masters, and to clarify the relationship model between the three. Methods: A convenience sampling method was used to conduct an online questionnaire survey on 160 master’s degree nursing students in Ningbo and Shanghai from July to September 2022 using the general information questionnaire, adversity quotient, career identity and perceived humanistic care of nurse leaders scale. Results: Adversity quotient, occupational identity and perceived humanistic care of nurse leaders were all at a moderate level. Adversity quotient (r = 0.430, P < 0.01), perceived humanistic care of nurse leaders (r = 0.443, P < 0.01) and occupational identity were positively correlated, and perceived humanistic care of nurse leaders could affect occupational identity through the mediating effect of adversity quotient, with the mediating effect accounting for 31.8%. Conclusion: Nursing managers should create a good organizational atmosphere, build a training system for adversity quotient courses, conduct regular assessment and humanistic care to improve the ability of nursing masters to face adversity and enhance the awareness of their own professional values.

The development of pre-registration occupational therapy student perceptions of research and evidence-based practice: A Q-methodology study

Background Pedagogically sound curricula are needed for occupational therapy (OT) students to adopt evidence-based practice (EBP) principles and internalise EBP within their professional identities. Exploring students’ perceptions of this knowledge area can contribute to effective curriculum design. Aims/Objectives To explore the evolution of pre-registration OT student perceptions of research and EBP over the course of their engagement with undergraduate teaching and learning. Materials and methods The Q-sort approach synthesises different viewpoints regarding a sample of statements, using by-person factor analysis (respondents = variables; statements = sample). Final year pre-registration OT students completed the same Q-sort at three timepoints (pre-dissertation [n = 18]; post-dissertation submission [n = 12]; post-student research conference [n = 6]). Q-sort responses were intercorrelated and factor-analysed; extraction of factors with an eigenvalue of ¬>0.9 and varimax rotation identified majority viewpoints. Results Significant factors were revealed at each timepoint: 1a: ‘Evidence–inseparable from OT practice’, 1b: ‘Research for research’s sake-inseparable from the occupational therapy identity’, 2: ‘Who am I to question the gurus?’, 3: ‘I can do it with confidence…but so what?’ Conclusions Opportunities for completing ‘authentic’ student research projects, with ‘ownership’ of results, may enhance research and EBP confidence and professional identity. Significance Findings expand current knowledge regarding effective use of pre-registration educational opportunities to support future research and EBP.

중국 유아교육 전공 학생들의 유치원 실습 경험이 직업 정체성 형성에 미치는 영향에 대한 현상학적 접근

This study investigates the impact of internships on shaping the occupational identity of students majoring in preschool education, utilizing a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through interviews with six current students and six graduates from the preschool education program at Y University in China. The data were analyzed using Giorgi's phenomenological analysis method, resulting in 423 meaning units, 62 subordinate elements, and 27 overarching categories, which were synthesized into six key themes. These themes include: constructing an occupational self-portrait, achieving a sense of belonging and identity within the occupational group, validating and refining occupational perceptions, developing occupational emotions and attitudes, building occupational resilience, and clarifying career choices and plans. The findings highlight the significance of kindergarten internships for Chinese students majoring in early childhood education, emphasizing their value in practical implementation and resource investment.

Mental health service users’ experiences of everyday occupations while attending day centres during the transition into retirement age

Background Existing research has shown that those ageing with severe mental illness face significant challenges in daily life. Attendance at community-based day centres (DCs) is offered to support daily structure and break isolation. However, little is known about the experiences of those receiving this type of support while transitioning into retirement age. Aim To explore experiences of everyday occupations among older mental health service users attending DC while transitioning into retirement age. Materials/methods Fourteen older DC attendees were interviewed on three occasions, spanning a time frame of four and a half years. The material was analyzed using grounded theory. Results An overarching theme emerged; A sense of belonging - creating, recreating, and maintaining my occupational identity while ageing, with three underlying categories: Enablers helping to pave a pathway to social contacts and occupations, Struggling through changing conditions, and Recreating and maintaining my occupations and occupational identity. Conclusions/significance Attending DC contributed with enablers that helped to maintain an occupational identity, despite ageing with complex health conditions. This study can be useful when planning optimal support focusing on occupational identity.

Emotional Labor, Occupational Identity, and Work Engagement among Portuguese First Responders

Emotional Labor, Occupational Identity, and Work Engagement among Portuguese First Responders

Spotlight on identity construction among professionals transitioning to an emerging occupation

Abstract The contemporary work environment is characterized by frequent transitions throughout an individual’s career. A relatively recent trend concerns established professionals relocating in newly emerging occupations. Despite the extensive research conducted on the construction of professional identity, there is still a dearth of knowledge regarding how occupational identity is formed. The aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the process through which professionals (re)construct their occupational identity when making a career transition to an emerging occupation. Drawing on twenty-seven interviews with professionals in the accounting and law enforcement fields who have transitioned to the emerging antifraud occupation, we explore how they navigate tensions between different aspirational, professional, and expected identities, and how they employ strategies to establish or blur boundaries to define their emerging occupational identity. This study offers a deeper understanding of the process by which a coherent occupational identity is constructed and shaped by interaction between multiple identities. This research contributes to the literature on career transitions by developing a more nuanced understanding of the occupational boundary strategies that professionals employ to construct a coherent occupational identity during a career transition. Further, our study underscores a pivotal concern regarding the maintenance of professionalism as professionals move into nascent occupational roles. In such circumstances, the definition of occupational identity may be less clearly delineated, and the establishment of rule-setting may be primarily determined by the organization’s management, thus curtailing the autonomy traditionally associated with professionalism.

“When life throws you a curve ball”: A longitudinal couple dyad experience of adjustment of occupations following mild stroke

ABSTRACT Introduction: Approximately 60-70% of all stroke incidents are categorised as mild. Although individuals with mild stroke manage most basic occupations independently, the consequences of mild stroke are multifaceted and might impact both the person with mild stroke and their partner’s lives, as well as the dynamics of the couples’ relationship and occupations. Purpose: To gain insight into the experience of the adjustment of occupations in couple dyads following mild stroke up to 1 year after the stroke. Methods: The study employed a qualitative longitudinal approach using ethnographically inspired fieldwork and joint interviews; a phenomenological-hermeneutical approach was used to interpret the data. Findings: One main theme, When life throws you a curve ball, and three interrelated subthemes, Feeling relieved yet concerned, Modification of shared and individual occupations, and New shared everyday life priorities were identified. Conclusion: Both persons in the dyad experienced a modification of shared and individual occupations. The couples were more engaged in co-occupations than before, and often these co-occupations were adjusted to accommodate the needs of the person with stroke. It is suggested that, in some cases, a mild stroke event can lead to a disruption and reconstruction of occupational identities for both individuals in the couple dyad.

Analyzing dropout intentions in vocational education and training: exploring the nexus between different dimensions of dropout reasons and the different directions of dropout intention

Extensive research has focused on various dimensions of dropout reasons, yet it often overlooks the importance of considering different dropout directions in the analysis. Our cross-sectional study examines the association of factors of six dimensions of dropout reasons (learner, professional, company, school, activity, and context) with four directions of dropout intention (upwards, downwards, horizontal: occupational change, and horizontal: company change). Stepwise regression analyses using dropout intention as a prior inner condition (before actual dropout behavior) with data from 559 industrial and office management trainees in Germany are conducted. Results indicate that the largest association across different directions of dropout intentions is exerted by the trainees’ occupational identity (professional dimension) and the year in training (context dimension). School factors like the use of outdated teaching equipment and learner factors like trainees’ high professional commitment predict upward dropouts, while a low level of trainees’ workplace social involvement (activity dimension) predicts downward dropouts. Company factors like unfavourable working regulations predict occupational change, and a low level of trainees’ functional involvement (activity dimension) predicts company change. Additionally, we confirm the previously found significant associations of activity and professional factors, particularly the cooperation between learning venues (school and training company) and the alignment between training and the desired occupation. The desired occupation predicts dropout intentions in the upward and horizontal direction (occupational change), and a low level of learning venue cooperation predicts the upward, horizontal (company change), and downward directions. To mitigate dropout rates, we recommend that vocational education and training stakeholders adopt preventive strategies by targeting specific directions of dropout intentions and the factors associated with the six dimensions of dropout reasons.

Understanding the liminal situation of lone‐parent and blended families—A review and agenda for work–family research

AbstractThis review takes a transdisciplinary approach to work–family (WF) research, offering new perspectives on different family forms in the context of employment. It focuses on lone‐parents and blended families, highlighting how management research on the WF interface has been constrained by traditional definitions of ‘family’, assuming intact couple relationships. The review shows that the WF experiences of lone‐parents and blended families differ significantly from those of traditional or nuclear families. Our findings demonstrate that blended and lone‐parent families struggle with conventional WF policies based on traditional family forms. These families face four main challenges: (1) complex residential arrangements and relationships with co‐parents; (2) managing (limited) resources; (3) navigating stigma; and (4) narrow cultural scripts defining family roles. Utilizing cross‐domain identity transition theory, we question the traditional ideas at the core of current WF theory. We demonstrate that non‐traditional families occupy a ‘liminal’ WF space due to their more fluid parental, occupational and household identities compared to traditional families. We urge employers and policy makers to recognize and address the distinct WF challenges faced by lone‐parents and blended families. Employers should develop flexible working policies that accommodate complex residential arrangements and provide resources to support lone and blended family structures. Policy makers should consider revising family leave policies to be more inclusive of diverse family forms. Future research should further explore the diverse experiences of employed parents, including those from LGBTQIA+ communities, using our framework, which encourages researchers to think differently regarding existing WF theories through the consideration of our four themes.

Research on the Current Situation and Countermeasures of Self-Identity Crisis among Vocational College Students

In recent years, the issue of self-identity crisis among vocational college students has become increasingly prominent, affecting their personal growth and career development. This paper mainly explores the current situation and causes of self-identity crises among vocational college students from the perspective of social cognition, analyzing the impact of various factors such as social expectations, self-cognitive conflicts, and educational systems on self-identity. Based on this, it proposes strategies such as social support interventions, educational reforms, and school-enterprise cooperation to help vocational college students rebuild their self-identity and achieve positive development. Through theoretical analysis and case studies, this paper aims to provide new insights and practical suggestions for the psychological health and occupational identity of vocational college students.

Quantitative Identification of Dopant Occupation in Li-Rich Cathodes.

Elemental doping is widely used to improve the performance of cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries. However, macroscopic/statistical investigation on how doping sites are distributed in the material lattice, despite being a key prerequisite for understanding and manipulating the doping effect, has not been effectively established. Herein, to solve this predicament, a universal strategy is proposed to quantitatively identify the locations of Al and Mg dopants in lithium-rich layered oxides (LLOs). Solid evidence confirms that Al prefers to occupy the transition metal (TM) layer, while Mg evenly occupies both TM and Li layers. As a result, Mg significantly reduces the thickness of LiO2 slabs at room temperature, which will increase the energy barrier of oxygen activation and enhance the structure stability of LLOs. The suppressed oxygen activity in Mg-doped LLO can be kinetically unlocked at 55°C. The different characteristics of Al and Mg enlighten an Al/Mg co-doping strategy to optimize LLOs, which significantly improves the cycle performance while lifting the capacity. These insights from the quantitative identification of doping sites shed light on the manipulation of doping effects toward better cathodes.

Reframing and re-telling: The changing identity of the careers guidance profession

The aim of the article is to critically reflect on what may now constitute the occupational and professional identity of career guidance practitioners after a decade of rapid change, and in the face of further significant policy developments. It seeks to build on recent research, e.g. Colley et al (2010), in order to consider the effects of policy shifts, and their attendant managerialism, on the identity of careers practitioners in a wide variety of organisational settings. The article proposes that Bolman and Deal’s Four Frames model (2003), with its holistic and constructivist basis, can be used to illuminate and critically examine the structural, political, motivational and symbolic aspects of change, including identity reformation. It concludes by suggesting that the various professional bodies that represent career guidance have an opportunity to re-appraise and redefine professional value and identity.