The Role of Perceived Barriers in Career Development: A Social Cognitive Perspective

Abstract

Recent research has verified the claim that high school and college students perceive a variety of career‐related barriers. Lent, Brown, and Hackett's (1994, 1996) social cognitive career theory and Weiner's (1979, 1985, 1986) attribution theory are useful approaches to increase understanding of the role that perceived barriers play in career development. This article presents a brief overview of the primary components of each theory as they relate to career‐related barriers, discusses counseling implications associated with each approach, and provides ideas for future research to explore the utility of these theories in explaining career‐related barriers.