Faculty Research and Publications

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Adolescent Perceptions of Career and Occupation
(2002) Bernes, Kerry B.; Pyne, Deena Patricia
A Comprehensive Career Needs Survey was designed to assess the career needs of junior high- and senior high-school students in Southern Alberta. The questionnaire explored career needs from the perspective of students, teachers, parents, counselors, and administrators. An important aspect of the research was to examine how adolescents perceive the terms career and occupation, and to also determine if and how these perceptions evolve over time and through developmental stages. Results suggest that the way students conceptualize the terms occupation and career do not quantitatively differ across grade level, nor are there any conceptualizations specific to one grade level. However, the way in which these students think about career and occupation becomes much richer as they get older. The results suggest a need for earlier career education, clearer articulation of career exploration activities with student perceptions of career and occupation, and increased adolescent involvement in future needs assessments. (Contains 12 references.) (Author
Adolescents’ Perceptions of Career Concern
(2006) Bernes, Kerry B.; Code, M.
The Merriam-Webster (2003) definition states that a concern is an "uneasy state of blended interest, uncertainty and apprehension". Ginzberg and colleagues (1951) indicated a process of choosing an occupation concerning different periods of vocational choice. Super (1953; 1980) indicated that some concerns have a vocational basis and even created an instrument with an intent to measure individual’s stage of concerns in life (Super, Thompson, and Lindeman, 1988). Ginzberg (1952) and Super (1980) focused on the stage of adolescence as a critical period where students develop a sense of the future and become ready to plan and decide. Though the word ‘concern’ has been discussed by these authors, it appears that the term is anything but clear or well understood in the realm of career development.
Are They Nuts? When Psychopathology Interferes with Career Issues
(2002) Bernes, Kerry B.
This article is written to help career practitioners better understand mental health problems, or psychopathology from a career case-study perspective. After an introduction to the core concepts of psychopathology, three case studies of increasing complexity will be discussed to illustrate the effects that mental health problems have on a person's career.
Behavior Disorders: The Need for Multiple and Integrated Treatment Activities
(1993) Bernes, Kerry B.
In response to increasing demands that Canadian school boards provide behavior adaptation programs to counter the effects of disruptive home environments, school violence, and victimization, this paper explores definitions and diagnostic criteria for the following behavior disorders: attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, juvenile delinquency, and antisocial personality. The paper outlines how these disorders can be placed on a continuum from least problematic to most problematic. A brief literature review summarizes effects of interventions currently employed to treat youth with behavior disorders. Difficulties associated with current treatments are highlighted and an integrated approach to treatment is provided. The proposed model targets youth diagnosed with conduct disorder ages 13 through 17 by providing them with male and female leaders and a group revolving around an educational/remedial framework. Activities are arranged to challenge students intellectually, physically, and emotionally, in order to form, challenge and extend self-concepts held by group members. (Contains 27 references.) (PB)
"Being the Best," One Man's Experience with Steroids: An Interview with Josh
(2008) Bernes, Kerry B.; Bardick, Angela D.; Nixon, Gary
This article describes one man’s experience with weight lifting and steroid use. Men may engage in heavy weight lifting and steroid use in order to change their bodies, possibly developing behaviours associated with eating disorders and muscle dysmorphia. Previous research has examined the risks associated with steroid use and exercise abuse, however, very little research has used qualitative methodologies to investigate men’s actual lived experience with this phenomenon. The purpose of this article is to present the transcript of an interview with a man who is currently weight lifting and using steroids to gain an insiders perspective into his lived experience, and demonstrate how a qualitative methodology may add depth and richness to our understanding of this phenomenon.
Building Future Career Development Programs for Adolescents
(2004) Bernes, Kerry B.; Magnusson, Kris C.;
Heuristically, adolescent career development programs may provide significant outcomes on personal, social, economic and national development levels. Unfortunately, however, very little research has been done on what is and what is not working within existing adolescent career development programs. Instead, adults continue to develop multiple resources that lack integration for adolescents, most notably, without the input from the students themselves (Hiebert et al., 2001). Unfortunately, the field appears to suffer from a lack of integration, wherein efficacy data on current programs is generally scarce and significant longitudinal data is absent. Creating a sense of integration, evaluating the results of current career development programs and creating longitudinal studies to gather objective data on the long- term impact of these programs appear to be critical missing ingredients. Without this research, we will never uncover the critical ingredients that are needed to support significant personal, social, economic and national development. Worse yet, the field may continue to go on to develop one product after another until it fragments so significantly that it fails to attract any further resources for development. In other words, the writers believe that too many resources are going into new products without any efficacy data to support them, currently or on a longitudinal basis, and that without some integration and objective support for their use, the field may fail to be financially supported in a future wherein financial resources are allocated upon the basis of results, not heuristic value.
Campus Alberta: A Collaborative, Multi-University Counsellor Training Initiative
(2001) Bernes, Kerry B.; Collins, S.; Hiebert, B. A.; Magnusson, Kris C.
The need for trained counselors/counseling psychologists, and for counselor education, training, and accreditation, are topics of continued discussion within professional organizations, accrediting bodies, universities, and other training institutions. Following an exploratory meeting in 1998 to discuss the need for additional graduate counselor education in Alberta, an advisory committee was formed with representatives from Alberta universities and major stakeholder groups. This paper describes an innovative approach to inter-university collaboration in the delivery of graduate programming emerging from that initiative. The initiative works on the premise that the current model of graduate education must be changed to reduce the barriers to continuing professional development. The new graduate program in counseling has a two-stage process. The first stage focuses on the fundamentals of counseling theory and practice. In the second stage, students select relevant assessment and intervention modules and develop an area of counseling specialization. The program is a learner-driven delivery system within the context of adult education and professional development. Through this collaboration, the needs of students can be better served while maintaining high standards of academic excellence and professional practice. (JDM)
Career Paths and Organizational Development: Expanding Alliances
(1999) Bernes, Kerry B.; Magnusson, Kris C.
The Synergistic Model of Organizational Career Development is an attempt to combine best practice principles from two domains: organizational development and individual career planning. The model assumes three levels of intervention within an organization: philosophical, strategic, and practical. Interventions at any of the levels may be directed toward the employees, the organization, or the balancing and interactive process that bring the two systems together. At the philosophical level, employees are concerned with becoming or managing to stay meaningfully connected to the world of work, organizations are concerned with defining their central purpose as an organization, and balancing/interactive processes are designed to balance employees' and the organization's long-term needs and goals. At the strategic level, employees are concerned with enhancing their careers, organizations are concerned with best meeting their organizational outcomes, and balancing/interactive processes are designed to balance short-term employees and organization goals. At the practical level, employees are concerned with staying employable, organizations are concerned ensuring that employees perform tasks essential to the organization, and balancing/interactive processes are designed to balance organizational demands with employee performance. The ultimate goal of balancing/interactive interventions must be to bring individual career planning into alignment with effective organizational development strategies. (Contains 23 references) (MN)
A Closer Examination of Bipolar Disorder in School Age Children
(2005) Bernes, Kerry B.; Bardick, Angela D.
Children who present with severe behavioral concerns may be diagnosed as having other commonly diagnosed childhood disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and/or conduct disorder, among others, when they may be suffering from early-onset bipolar disorder. Awareness of the symptoms of early-onset bipolar disorder may lead to appropriate referrals for assessment and treatment, as well as collaborative program planning for children with bipolar disorder. Implications and recommendations for school counselors are discussed.
Comprehensive Sports Psychological Services for the Junior "A" Hockey Leagues in Canada
(2004) Bernes, Kerry B.; Robinson, Derek
The Canadian Junior "A" Hockey League includes ten leagues that span across Canada. Junior hockey players face challenges during the developmental years that can have far-reaching implications. Most of these teams do not have access to sport psychologists, or high school, college or university counselors. There is a need for junior "A" hockey players to have access to positive and informed psychological services to enhance performance and their overall wellbeing. Currently there is no comprehensive sport psychology program in place for developing young athletes in hockey or any other sport that we know of. In this article, a brief literature review is provided with regard to sport psychology and sport counselling. Recommendations for increasing sport psychological services—for enhancing performance as well as overall wellbeing for individual athletes, teams, and the league—within junior "A" hockey, and the evaluation of services are also discussed.
Conducting Adolescent Violence Risk Assessments: A Framework for School Counselors
(American School Counselor Association, 2007-04) Bernes, Kerry B.; Bardick, Angela D.
There have been numerous publications devoted to preventing violence and bullying in schools, resulting in school counselors being well equipped with school-wide violence prevention ideas and programs. Despite these violence prevention efforts, some students may pose a threat to others and thus may require a comprehensive assessment for violence risk, especially targeted violence. The purpose of this article is to provide school counselors with a framework for assessing students who may be at risk for violence in general or who may be at risk specifically for targeted violence.
A Description of Career Development within Canadian Organizations
(1996) Bernes, Kerry B.; Magnusson, Kris C.
This study explored the scope and nature of career development services within organizations. One human resource/personnel department representative in each of the 30 largest organizations in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, was interviewed. The Career Development Questionnaire provided the framework for the structured interviews. Participants outlined their conceptualizations of organizational career development, described the outcomes organizations hoped to achieve through the use of career development services, listed the services provided by their organizations, and rated the effectiveness of each service. Although the descriptions and the intended outcomes for career development services were consistent, specific services were not aligned with specific goals. This finding highlighted the need for practitioners to ensure they align services with their goals and for researchers to evaluate the effects of career development services on the basis of their specific intentions. Overall, results suggest that career development within organizations is still practiced in a part-time and informal manner.
Eating Disorder Intervention, Prevention, and Treatment: Recommendations for School Counselors
(2004) Bernes, Kerry B.; Bardick, Angela D.; McCulloch, A. R. M.; Witko, Kim; Spriddle, J. W.; Roest, Allison
School counselors are in daily contact with the highest risk group for developing eating disorders-children and adolescents. School counselors are in a position to identify at-risk individuals, implement effective school-based prevention programs, make appropriate referrals, and provide support for recovering individuals. An overview of a theory of recovery for eating disorders reinforces the importance of early intervention.
The Elements of Effective Counselling
(2005) Bernes, Kerry B.
Many people consider counselling to be part science and part art. This combination has made it difficult for researchers to completely understand what makes counselling effective. Nevertheless, research has been done on the elements of effective counselling. This paper will provide an overview into some of the most significant findings. Applications of these findings will then be discussed relative to what initial sessions need to accomplish and five critical components for becoming effective.
Helping People to Deal with the Traumatic Effects of Organizational Downsizing and Change
(2004) Bernes, Kerry B.
Unfortunately, organizational downsizing and change is continuing to have an impact upon employees across the nation. To help employees to deal with the emotional effects, organizations frequently ask counsellors to design group interventions or debriefings in order to help employees to cope with the downsizing and/or other significant changes. This article provides an overview of some of the emotional effects that employees may experience and discusses how a modified critical incident stress debriefing agenda may be used to address employee needs. Individual counselling interventions are also described.
How Financial Planners Can Collaborate with Professional Counselors
(Financial Planning Association, 2005-04) Taylor, Terra D.; Bernes, Kerry B.; Gunn, Thelma; Nixon, Gary
Financial planners are dealing with more than just money. Clients are increasingly seeking the advice of financial planners for financial situations that are intrinsically interwoven with personal and psychological issues. Some financial planners may feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of personal issues, while others may feel that they do not have the time to effectively deal with these issues. This paper examines the melding of financial concerns with personal issues and how they subsequently lead to the need for referral and collaboration between financial planners and psychologists.
In Pursuit of Physical Perfection: Weight Lifting and Steroid Use in Men
(Zone of Excellence, 2006) Bardick, Angela D.; Bernes, Kerry B.; Nixon, Gary
This study used a qualitative method to examine eight men’s motivations for weight lifting and steroid use. Results indicated that these men desired self-improvement, but their goal of obtaining the ideal masculine body became all-consuming and impeded their social and occupational functioning. Complex cognitive, interpersonal, mental health and personality issues became evident. In-depth assessment, accurate case conceptualization, and creative and individualized counseling or treatment are recommended for helping these individuals reach their goal of self-improvement in a healthier manner.
Life After Sport: Athletic Career Transition and Transferable Skills
(2009) Bernes, Kerry B.; McKnight, K. M.; Gunn, Thelma; Chorney, D.; Orr, David Thomas; Bardick, Angela D.
Athletes transitioning out of sport are faced with many obstacles. Well-trained counselors have the appropriate skills to assist athletes through athletic career transition. An examination of the literature focused on career retirement and transferable skills lead to the development of intervention recommendations for athletes transitioning out of sport. Treatment recommendations include psycho-educational and cognitive behavioural interventions that focus on the emotions associated with transitioning from sport as well as an emphasis on transferable skills.
Occupational Aspirations of Students in Grades Seven to Twelve
(2005) Bernes, Kerry B.; Bardick, Angela D.
During adolescence, individuals begin to plan for their future career by considering a number of occupational choices. Counsellors, parents, and educators may be better able to assist adolescents in their exploration of occupational options, help them seek career-related information, and obtain support for their career plans by developing a greater understanding of adolescents’ occupational aspirations. The purpose of this research was to examine the occupational aspirations and the rationales students provided. It is anticipated that the outcome of this research may be used to assist future career program planning for junior and senior high students. This paper presents a review of the literature related to adolescent occupational choice, followed by a description of the research conducted with 3,562 junior high students and 2,941 senior high students in Southern Alberta utilizing the Comprehensive Career Needs Survey (CCNS; Magnusson and Bernes, 2002), and a discussion of the results.
A Quasi Meta-Analysis of Youth and Career Research Methodologies
(1993) Bernes, Kerry B.
A quasi meta-analysis approach was used to examine the research methodologies used to study issues related to youth (ages 13-25) and careers. Psychlit, ERIC, Dissertation Abstracts, and four journals were searched to identify articles for the study. A total of 67 articles from 18 different sources were analyzed. Eighty-seven percent were from journals, and the remaining 13 percent were found in dissertations, theses, unpublished papers, and a textbook. All articles were classified by year of publication, gender of author(s), author affiliation/title, location of study, and methodology. Sources were classified as using one of the following methodologies: historical, philosophical, ethnographic, case study, survey, comparative experimental, or quasi-experimental. No articles that could be classified as reflecting an ethnographic approach could be found, and none of the sources classified as historical provided more than a 20-year review. Most of the historical studies centered around Super's "work within a life" concept. Researchers in the field of youth and careers were found to be very strong in their use of philosophical, case study, survey, comparative experimental, and quasi-experimental methods. Canadians appear to be rather underrepresented in the quantity of studies conducted; and the eastern United States appears to dominate the field. More qualitative research in general and more longitudinal studies in particular were called for. (MN)