Assessment of Career Maturity in Transdisciplinary Vocational Assessment.

Since career development extends through the life span, career assessment may be helpful to individuals of all ages. This paper explains the theoretical bases for career maturity and provides definitions and correlates of the construct of career maturity. School psychologists, who typically work with students-at-risk academically and socially, should consider early assessment of career maturity in order to assist in the formulation of appropriate educational and vocational planning. They should also consider providing input into planned experiences that accommodate developmental differences. Awareness of interests, abilities, and aptitudes is an important component of career decision making, and should be assessed as part of the transdisciplinary vocational assessment. Addition of an interest inventory and career maturity measure would add approximately 1.5 hours to assessment time and provide valuable data for educational and vocational planning in a developmental context. These instruments could be administered by another transdisciplinary assessment team member. Curriculum-based assessment can measure individual progress in vocational domains and provide additional data to enhance the accuracy of career decision making. Reviews of the available instruments for vocational assessment suggest that continuing research and development of new tools is imperative. (RJM)