This article is a comparative review of career development programs in Switzerland and the United States, with emphasis on the degree of parental involvement. Investigators visited schools and interviewed parents in both countries. This article offers ideas for improving the effectiveness of career development programs in the United States. Among the useful ideas from Switzerland are greater use of community resources such as departments of employment services. specific career training in schools, and school-based job placement programs.
Recent studies of career development programs in the United States and Canada suggest that parents who express satisfaction with the services provided for their children by their school system are more likely to provide positive support for their children's career decision process and for the school programs (Young & Freisen. 1992). In other words, active parental support is essential to an effective career development program. However, career development programs in the United States and Canada usually provide for only limited participation of parents (Zunker, 1994). resulting in resistance from parents and even autright sabotage of these career development programs (Grotevant & Cooper, 1988).
This article provides flndings suggesting that effective school career development programs not only benefit children, but may also result in parents being more supportive and effective in the career decision process.
In a recent questionnaire study that included parental responses from Switzerland, England, and the United States, we (Downing & D'Andrea. 1994) concluded that parents view involvement in their children's career decision-making process as a significant parental ~ ~ ~ ' l k late Jerry Downing was a professor in the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno when this article uxls written. Livia M. D'Andrea i s an associate professor in the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology a t the University of N e v a d a Correspondence regarding this article should be sent to Liuia M.