| This study was designed to address gaps, extend previous research, and increase the interpretability of scores individuals earn on the Self-Directed Search. To accomplish this, the study investigated the relationships among interest profile elevation, personality, and interest secondary constructs. Study participants consisted of 209 college students enrolled in an introductory career development course at a large southeastern university. The summary scores of the six domains of the Self-Directed Search (SDS) were used to measure interest profile elevation and interest secondary constructs (i.e., consistency, congruence, coherence, and two measures of differentiation). The NEO-FFI was used to measure the five factors of personality (i.e., Neuroticism, Extroversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness). The research question for this study was, "In a sample of college students enrolled in an introductory career development course, what is the relationship among interest profile elevation, personality, and interest secondary constructs?".;This study explored and was organized by three domains: (1) Interest Profile Elevation and Personality; (2) Interest Profile Elevation and Interest Secondary Constructs; and (3) Interest Secondary Constructs and Personality. In the first domain, interest profile elevation was significantly related to Extroversion, Openness, and Conscientiousness. The latter two also predicted significant variance in interest profile elevation demonstrated in significant linear and stepwise regressions. The MANOVA conducted in this domain was composed of the mean scores of the personality variables set into quartiles in relation to interest profile elevation. The MANOVA was statistically significant and subsequent pair-wise comparisons showed that the highest quartile of Openness was significantly different from the other three quartiles in relation to interest profile elevation. The orthogonal contrasts demonstrated that Openness had a linear and quadratic relationship with interest profile elevation. Conscientiousness was shown to have a significant quadratic relationship with interest profile elevation.;In the second domain, interest profile elevation was significantly related to the following interest secondary constructs: differentiation high-low, differentiation Iachan, and consistency. These three constructs also accounted for significant variance in interest profile elevation as demonstrated in significant linear and stepwise regressions. There were some unique findings in relation to differentiation. The two measures of differentiation were correlated with interest profile elevation in the opposite direction. They also appeared to account for significant but unique variance in interest profile elevation.;The third domain, interest secondary constructs and personality, was analyzed using a canonical correlation. This resulted in one significant root with differentiation high-low, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Extroversion accounting for 20% of the variance in this root. The root was labeled maturity based on the connotations associated with these four variables.;Limitations, implications for counseling, and recommendations for future research were presented. Several ideas for how the information from the current study can be used in practice were also included. The suggestions for future research would add to the state of the science in this area of counseling psychology. |
