Preparing young veterans for civilian life: The effects of a workshop on career decision-making difficulties and self-efficacy

• We tested the effects of a workshop on career decision-making difficulties.
• Lack of information was the most salient of career decision-making difficulty.
• Participants' difficulties were related to their decision status.
• The workshop contributed to reduce cdm difficulties and increase self efficacy.
• The greatest reduction in difficulties was in the Lack of Information cluster.

The current study mapped the career decision-making difficulties and career decision self-efficacy of 1315 young veterans who participated in a 5-day workshop aimed at facilitating their transition to civilian life. A pre- and post-test comparison showed that participation in the workshop reduced (d = 0.57) the participants' career decision-making difficulties (measured by the CDDQ; Gati, Krausz, & Osipow, 1996) and increased (d = 0.77) their career decision self-efficacy (measured by the CDSE; Taylor & Betz, 1983). A more advanced decision status, as reflected in the participants' Range of Considered Alternatives ( Saka & Gati, 2007), was negatively associated with participants' career decision-making difficulties, and positively associated with career decision self-efficacy. However, a more advanced decision status and the perceived effectiveness of the workshop were not associated with the decrease in difficulties and the increase in self-efficacy that resulted from participating in the workshop. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.