ERIC ED357540: Know Thyself: An Empowerment Strategy for Involving Consumers in the Vocational Evaluation and Planning Process.

86 Pages·1992·1.1 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 357 540
EC 302 082
AUTHOR
Farley, Roy C.; And Others
TITLE
Know Thyself: An Empowerment Strategy for Involving
Consumers in the Vocational Evaluation and
Planning
Process.
INSTITUTION
Arkansas Univ., Fayetteville. Research and
Training
Center in Vocational Rehabilitation.
SPONS AGENCY
National Inst. on Disability and
Rehabilitation
Research (ED/OSERS), Washington, DC.
PUB DATE
[92)
CONTRACT
HI33B80065
NOTE
86p.
AVAILABLE FROM
University of Arkansas, Arkansas Research
& Training
Center in Vocational Rehabilitation, P.O.
Box 1358,
Hot Springs, AR 71902 ($10).
PUB TYPE
Guides
Non-Classroom Use (055)
Guides
Classroom Use
Instructional Materials (For Learner)
(051)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC04 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
Career Choice; Career Development; *Diagnostic
Tests;
*Disabilities; *Evaluation Methods;
Job Skills;
*Participative Decision Making;
Test Interpretation;
*Vocational Aptitude; *Vocational
Evaluation;
Vocational Interests; Vocational
Maturity; Vocational
Rehabilitation
IDENTIFIERS
Empowerment
ABSTRACT
Know Thyself Manuals contain test
protocols and
summaries of test interpretations and
were developed to be given to
vocational rehabilitation clients in
order to involve them in the
assessment process. This example of
a Know Thyself Manual
demonstrates how the "know thyself"
strategy is operationalized in
an
evaluation center using the following
assessment procedures: the
Employability Maturity Interview, the
United States Employment
Services Interest Inventory, the
General Aptitude Test Battery
or the
Nonreading Aptitude Test flattery, the
MicroTOWER, Occupational
Report, job sampling, Sixteen Personality
Factors Questionnaire with
the Vocational Personality Report,
Work Temperament Inventory,
Personal Capacities Questionnaire,
Job Seeking Skills Assessment,
Work Personality Profile, and Work
Performance Assessment. Part I of
the manual is designed to explain
the evaluation process to the
client, identifying the instruments
used and the reasons for using
them. Part II is designed to share
the results of the evaluation with
the client, followed by the counselor
and client together making
decisions based upon the results.
The "know thyself" approach, which
focuses on choosing a job, getting
a job, and keeping a job, has been
found to be effective in enhancing
vocational development. (Contains
21 references.) (JDD)
***********************************************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS
are the best that can be made
from the original document.
***********************************************************************
U.S. DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATION
Morcromant
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INFORMATION
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
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Consumers in
Strategy for Involving
An Empowerment
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Evaluation and Planning
the Vocational
Sandra Parkerson
Roy C. Farley
C"\6)
Nathalie Martin
Omagene Farley
"R)
Center in Vocational Rehabilitation
Arkansas Research & Training
Arkansas Rehab( 'dation Services
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
AVAILAELY.
BEST COPY
2
1
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Roy C. Farley, Ed.D., is Director and Sandra Parkerson, B.S.,
is a Research Assistant at the University of Arkansas
Research and Training Center in Vocational Rehabilitation
Omagene Farley, B.A., is a Vocational Evaluator and Nathalie Martin
is an Instructor at the Hot Springs Rehabilitation Center
COVER PHOTO CREDITS
Lou Tabor, Photography & Graphic Design
Janice Irwin, Model
The contents of this manual were developed under a research and training center grant (1-1133B80065) from
the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
20202. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policy of that agency, and you should not
assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
All programs administered by and services provided 'ay the Arkansas Research and Training Center in
Vocational Rehabilitation are rendered on a nondiscrimina tory basis without regard to handicap, race, creed,
color, sex, or national origin in compliance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1.973 and Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964. All applicants for program participation and /or services have a right to file complaints and to
appeal according to regulations governing this principle.
. )
KNOW THYSELF
An Empowerment Strategy for Involving Consumers in
the Vocational Evaluation and Planning Process
rr
Roy C. Farley
Sandra Parkerson
Omagene Farley
Nathalle Martin
Arkansas Research & Training Center in Vocational Rehabilitation
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
Arkansas Rehablitlation Services
KNOW THYSELF
Acknowledgments
Consumer involvement was practiced throughout the development
of this manual. In fact, many people, who represent potential consumers,
which included vocational rehabilitation service recipients, vocational
rehabilitation service providers, independent living personnel, and
educators provided feedback on the development of the material. It
would be most difficult to list each person's name. However, we are
particularly indebted to the following people who helped in a number of
ways. They reviewed the material and provided suggestions and assisted
with the evaluation of the sample manual: Joe Chunn, Larry Akers, Ron
Jones, Judy Pultz, Del Lillard, Sally Moix, Terry Sims, John Taylor.
We also appreciate the help we received from the Arkansas
Research and Training Center in Vocational Rehabilitation members,
particularly, Brian Bolton, Robert Akridge, Doug Rice, and Rick
Roessler.
A special thank you goes to the students in the evaluation section
at Hot Springs Rehabilitation Center who provided input and participated
in the evaluation study.
ill
5
KNOW THYSELF
Know Thyself: A Strategy for
Involving Consumers in the
Vocational Evaluation and Planning Process
Subjects related to the promotion of consumer involvement and
empowerment which result in self-direction and independence have
received increased attention from vocational rehabilitation professionals
in the past several years (Bodenhamer, Mu lroy, & McGill, 1988;
Farley, Means, Akridge, & Rice, 1986).
This is especially important in the vocational evaluation and
assessment area. Helping people toward employment is the major
purpose of vocational evaluation and an employability assessment and
planning program. Empowerment of the person is an integral part of
helping (Rappaport, 1985). Hence, commitment to empowerment means
that professional helpers in an employability assessment and planning
program will involve service recipients in order to enable them to set
their own goals and develop their own action plans. The consumer will
be placed at the center of the evaluation/assessment process. The
concepts of co-management and partnership will be operationalized.
Very few attempts to operationalize these concepts are found in
the literature. However, the Chicago Jewish Vocational Service (CJVS)
developed a program in the 80's and Carolyn Vash described a
procedure that could be used. The CJVS (Kaskel, 1983) designed a
program to maximize client involvement in vocational evaluation
activities. The program requires that clients assume the major
responsi 'My for developing their own individualized evaluation plans,
and they p..rticipate as members of the evaluation team, including
directing the final evaluation staffing. Characterized as client-centered
evaluation services, the goal of the Chicago program is to foster clients'
independence and enhance their decision making skills.
Independently of the CJVS program, Vash (1981, 1984)
recommended a strategy for involving rehabilitation clients in the
assessment process called a Know Thyself Manual. The Know Thyself
Manual was simply a notebook that included all test protocols, as well as
summaries of interpretations and recommendations. Vash believed that
providing clients in rehabilitation facilities with Know Thyself Manuals
was very appropriate. She proposed that each client be given copies of
the results of all tests and inventories as they are completed, and that
clients assume responsibility for maintaining their personal files of
evaluation results. Thus, the client has access to all evaluation data and
becomes a equal status collaborator with the counselor/evaluator in the
assessment process.
Know Thyself Manuals will vary depending on the evaluation and
:ssment instruments and procedures used by an evaluation facility. It
is suggested that a Know Thyself Manual be divided into two major
components or parts. Part/Componeit I should be designed to provide
the consumer with information about the assessment process and all of
C
KNOW THYSELF
the assessment and evaluation procedures in
which they will be involved.
A helpful way to provide that information is by
detailing the what, why,
how, when, where, and who of each
assessment procedure. Detailed
information about the instrument/procedure/strategy
will be helpful:
what it is, why it is being administered,
how it will be administered,
when it will be administered, where it will
be administered, and who
will administer it. In providing this information,
the following principles
should be kept in mind.
Remember your goal for providing information
1.
to the consumer is
to promote independence, empowerment, and
to involve the
person in the evaluation and service planning
process.
2.
When providing information keep in mind
not only content (e.g.,
what, why, how, when, where, and who)
but also the style and
manner in which you provide that information.
3.
Communicate the information at the
consumer's level of
understanding. Avoid overly technical
terms, jargon, confusing
terminology, etc.
4.
Make sure the person understands the information
provided. You
might have the person "feedback" their
understanding of the
information.
5.
Answer all questions fully.
Part/Component II of the Know Thyself
Manual is designed to
share the assessment results with the
consumer and to facilitate his/her
use of those results to plan services. Systematic activities
utilizing
evaluation results should be developed
that would insure the sharing of
evaluation data and would require the
consumer to utilize those results to
plan rehabilitation services with the
counselor's/evaluator's guidance and
assistance as needed.
One example of the Know Thyself
Manual is presented here.
This example demonstrates how the know
thyself strategy is
operationalized in an evaluation
center using the following assessment
procedures: The Employability Maturity
Interview (Roessler & Bolton,
1987), the United States Employment
Services Interest Inventory (U.S.
Dept. of Labor, 1981), the General
Aptitude Test Battery
or the
Nonreading General Aptitude Test
Battery (U.S. Dept. of Labor, 1982),
MicroTower (Backmon, 1977), Occupational
Report (Bolton, 1987a),
Job Sampling, 16 Personality Factors
Questionnaire (Institute for
Personality and Ability Testing, 1985)
with the Vocational Personality
Report (Bolton, 1987b), Work Temperament
Inventory (Bolton &
Brookings, in press), Personal Capacities
Questionnaire (Crewe &
Athelstan, 1981), Job Seeking Skills
Assessment (Hinman, Means,
Parkerson, & Odendahl, 1987), Work
Personality Profile (Bolton &
Roessler, 1986), and Work Performance
Assessment (Roessler, Hinman,
& Lewis, 1987).
vi
KNOW THYSELF
The manual given to each client is in a loose-leaf notebook so
that test results and summaries can be added as they become available. It
is designed to involve the client in such a way that he/she will know
what is going to happen and why, and also the results of the evaluations
themselves. Part I of the manual is designed to explain the evaluation
process. The instruments used in the evaluation are identified for the
client and the reasons for using them. Questions and discussion are
encouraged from the client concerning the upcoming evaluation. Part II
of the manual is designed to share and explain the results of the
evaluation with the client. Decisions are jointly made by the
counselor/client in order to complete the Know Thyself Manual. The
clients see the results of the instruments with the counselor and together
they analyze the results and make decisions based upon them. A plan for
services can then be developed utilizing the evaluation results. The client
serves as co-developer and co-manager of the plan throughout the
evaluation process.
Research studies (Farley, Bolton, & Parkerson, 1992; Farley,
Bolton, & Taylor, in press) evaluating the example Know Thyse'.f
manual that follows have demonstrated that this is an effective approach
for enhancing vocational development. Results indicate that when
compared to vocational rehabilitation clients receiving routine evaluation
services, those who also engage in Know Thyself activities demonstrate
significantly more vocational self-awareness, vocational maturity,
confidence in one's vocational decisions, less indecisiveness, and
perceive themselves as more involved in their vocational program.
Additionally, both service providers and service recipients perceive the
following Know Thyself sample as an effective strategy for informing
consumers about the evaluation process and involving them in decision
making and program planning.
vii
A
REFERENCES
References
Backmon, M. E. (1977). Micro-TOWER. New York, NY: International
Center for the Disabled.
Bodenhamer, E., Mulroy, R., & McGill, J. (1988). Promoting client
self-direction through a vocational evaluation guidance group.
Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment Bulletin, Summer,
21(2), 47-52.
Bolton, B. (1987a). Manual for the occupational report. Fayetteville:
University of Arkansas, Arkansas Research and Training Center in
Vocational Rehabilitation.
Bolton, B. (1987b). Manual for the vocational personality report.
Fayetteville: University of Arkansas, Research and Training Center
in Vocational Rehabilitation.
Bolton, B., & Brookings, J. (in press). Work Temperament Inventory.
University of Arkansas Research and Training Center in Vocational
Rehabilitation.
Bolton, B., & Roessler, R. (1986). Manual for the work personality
profile. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas, Arkansas Research and
Training Center in Vocational Rehabilitation.
Crewe, N. M., & Athelstan, G. T. (1981). Personal Capacities
Questionnaire. Menomonie, WI: University of Wiscor_sin-Stout.
Farley, R. C., Bolton, B., & Parkerson, S. (1992). Effects of client
involvement in assessment on vocational development. Rehabilitation
Counseling Bulletin, K(3), 146-153.
Farley, R., Bolton, B., & Taylor, J. (in press). Know Thyself: An
evaluation of an intervention to promote client involvement in the
vocational evaluation process. Vocational Evaluation and Work
Adjustment Bulletin.
Farley, R., Means, B., Akridge, R., & Rice, B. (1986).
Pshychoeducational training with high risk rehabilitation clients in
a
field office setting. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling,
17(2), 25-28.
Hinman, S., Means, B., Parkerson, S., & Odendahl, B. (1987).
Assessment of job application and employment interview skills
for
job seekers with disabilities: Assessor's manual. Fayetteville:
University of Arkansas, Arkansas Research and Training
Center in
Vocational Rehabilitation.
ix
5
KNOW THYSELF
Institute for Personality and Ability Testing. (1985). Manual for Form E
on the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire. Champagne, IL:
Author.
Kaskel, L. M. (1983). Client involvement in vocational evaluation
planning: A program model. Vocational Evaluation and Work
Adjustment Bulletin, 16, 123-125.
Rappaport, J. (1985). The power of empowerment language. Social
Policy, 16(1), 15-21.
Roessler, R., & Bolton, B. (1987). Manual for the employability
maturity interview. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas, Research
and Training Center in Vocational Rehabilitation.
Roessler, R., Hinman, S., & Lewis, F. (1987). Work performance
assessment. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas, Arkansas Research
and Training Center in Vocational Rehabilitation.
U.S. Department of Labor. (1981). USES Interest Inventory.
Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
U.S. Department of Labor. (1982). Manual for the general aptitude test
battery. Washington, DC: U.S. liovernment Printing Office.
U.S. Department of Labor. (1982). Manual for the non-reading aptitude
test battery. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Vash, C. L. (1981). The psychology of disability. New York: Springer
Publishing Company.
Vash, C. L. (1984). Evaluation from the client's point of view. In A. S.
Halpern and M. J. Fuhrer (Eds.), Functional assessment in
rehabilitation (pp. 253-267). Baltimore, MD: Paul Brookes.
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