Dysfunctional career thoughts and attitudes as predictors of vocational identity among young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

This study examined dysfunctional career thoughts and attitudes as predictors of vocational identity among high school students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Regression analysis results indicated that dysfunctional career thoughts and attitudes were significant predictors of vocational identity, accounting for 42% of the explained variance. Dysfunctional career thinking, measured by the Career Thoughts Inventory (Sampson, Peterson, Lenz, Reardon, & Saunders, 1996) and the CareerMaturity Inventory—Revised (Crites & Savickas, 1996), displayed important predictive relationships with vocational identity as measured by the Vocational Identity Scale (Holland, Daiger, & Power, 1980). Implications for interventions and further research in vocational psychology and career counseling with ADHD students are discussed.