Looking Forward

As a student affairs professional I want to remain in a student-facing advisory role. This will likely be in career development or academic advising within an international education office. To conduct this advisory work in these settings I will rely on certain psychosocial development theories and/or career development theory. 

Psychosocial theories of development, which can be applied to the identity development in students, were proposed by established scholars such as Erikson, Chickering and Reisser, Marcia, and Josselson. These theories articulate how development is shaped by the completion of developmental tasks that typically occur in chronological sequence throughout the life cycle. These theorists established a particular number of stages or statuses that individuals experience in the course of their lifetimes. This movement can be seen as involving changes in intellectual and emotional ability, for example around changes in intelligence, expertise and ability to reason, and the impact of life events and experiences.

As an advisor, I deem it crucial to have an understanding of these various theories and stages in order to help discern students’ level of development and to assist them in developing within and beyond their particular stage. Furthermore, understanding the life themes that students are coping with at various stages of development, such as developing purpose, may help to focus student interventions and create more intentional interactions. I also intend to rely psychosocial development theories to help anticipate student issues and be more responsive/understanding to concerns that arise when working with students.

I also want to explore career development theories as I develop as a professional. These theories can assist me in working with students who are exploring career paths and opportunities. Focusing on variables such as an individual’s age, experience, values, personality, social and family goals will also help me to connect students to relevant and engaging opportunities. Among these theories is Holland’s (1973, 1985) vocational personality type, which emphasizes “the notion of congruence, that is, the theoretical implications for satisfaction and growth of the individual given the closeness of fit between the individual’s personality type and the occupational type” (Creamer, 2000, p. 19).

The most practical experience I gained in College Student Development was working with Latinx students and applying Vasti Torres’ (1999) Bicultural Orientation Model (BOM) to their lived experiences at a predominantly White institution. Torres’ (1999) BOM is most useful for informing professional practice because it elucidates how cultural factors and ethnic identity can affect a college student’s experience. For example, an Anglo-oriented Latinx student may feel uneasy about socializing with Hispanic-oriented Latinx students because they are ashamed by their lack of cultural knowledge and worry they will not be fully embraced by the Latinx student community. To address the needs of both student populations, a program could could be developed that instills a sense of ethnic pride while also confronting the discrimination, colorism, and racism that is deeply embedded within Latinx cultures. At an interpersonal level, Torres’ (1999) BOM could influence how a career services professional approaches an advisory meeting with a Latinx student. With the BOM serving as foundational knowledge, a career services professional can discern a Latinx student’s ethnic orientation and better understand how their identity may influence their career decisions. More specifically, Latinx students who are Hispanic-oriented may narrow their job search to specific geographic areas that either keep them closer to home or possess a strong Latinx community that emulates their preferred environment.  Latinx students are one of the fastest growing bodies of students in the U.S. and this foundation in assessing Latinx students’ ethnic orientation will be useful for supporting Latinx students in the future. 

Although these theories can provide an important foundation for understanding student advisees, I am cognizant that I need to be aware of the gender, cultural, and social biases present in many of the available cognitive and psychological stage theories. Since the majority of these theories were grounded in research undertaken in a Western context and with White cisgender male subjects, they may not be applicable to female students, minority students, non-traditional aged students, LGBTQ students, or students of different ethnic, cultural, or religious backgrounds. 

As Kari B. Taylor (2016) said, “In the end, foundational theories of college students’ cognitive development are necessary but not sufficient for educating contemporary college students. Relying on foundational theories alone restricts the meaning of cognition and the aims of development to those that reflect dominant epistemologies” (p. 39). Although Taylor (2016) focused her argument on cognitive development, this statement accurately describes how I view student development theory. It is a useful tool and lens for working with students and guiding their development, but these theories are not without their limitations. It will be prudent to be mindful of these limitations when engaging and collaborating with students. 

References:

Creamer, D.G. (2000). Use of theory in academic advising. In Gordon, V.N. & Habley, W.R. Academic advising: A comprehensive handbook. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Holland, J. L. (1973). Making Vocational choices: A theory of careers. Englewood cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Holland, J. L. (1985). Making vocational choices: A theory of vocational personalities and work environments (2nd ed.). Englewood cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Taylor, K. B. (2016). Diverse and critical perspectives on cognitive development theory. In Abes, E. S. (Ed.), New Directions for Student Services: No. 156. Critical perspectives on student development theory (pp. 29–41). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Torres, V. (1999). Validation of a bicultural orientation model for Hispanic college students. Journal of College Student Development, 40, 285-298.