Career Counseling Research and Hispanics

Abstract

This article presents an extensive review of the research literature related to career counseling with Hispanics in the U.S. from 1970 to the present. Most of the research reviewed dealt with Mexican-Americans, and only a few studies included Puerto Ricans in their sample. The article is organized into four areas: occupational aspirations, vocational interests, on-the-job behavior; and educational attainment. It was found that Hispanic students tend to have high occupational and educational aspirations, Holland 's hexagonal model of career interests seem to apply to Hispanics, middle-class and college-educated Hispanics and Anglos are similar in terms of work values and career progression behaviors, and educational attainment among Hispanics varies according to their national origin, generational status, and social class. It was concluded that, in general, the career counseling research related to Hispanics is very limited in terms of content, and for the most part lacks a theoretical base. The findings of this research strongly suggest that the lack of occupational mobility among Hispanics is related to structural factors, such as socioeconomic status and lack of opportunities, and not to cultural characteristics. The literature reviewed also shows that Hispanics are not a homogeneous group and that there are important differences between the various Hispanic subgroups as well as between Hispanics from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Suggestions for future research are offered and methodological issues in career counseling research with Hispanics are examined.