Evaluation of a Decision Training Program for Vocational Guidance

A training program was developed of the basis of psychological decision theories in order to support student career choices. The goal of the training program was to equip the trainees with techniques and knowledge that allow the decision process to be optimised. The training program took five to six hours, was realized with groups of 10–12 participants and consisted of several modules. Each module considered a specific stage of the decision process. The training program has been realised with a sample of 64 high-school attendants in the 10th grade in Switzerland. The acceptance of the training was evaluated with half-standardised questionnaires. The effects were evaluated with an experimental design. Results showed that the training was very highly accepted by the participants and judged as helpful in making career decisions. The most significant effect measured was the clarification of the participants’ personal goals.