For decades, writers have criticized the limited research focus (e.g., Borow, 1964) and lack of theoretical depth (e.g., Vondracek & Kirchner, 1974) on children's career development. Indeed, Borow urged vocational research and theory to focus increasing attention on the formative years of childhood. Little has changed over the ensuing decades, even though career development is now recognized as a life span process. For example, a decade ago, Gysbers (1996) outlined several major challenges facing career counselors, educators, and researchers in the field of children's career development. Among these challenges were the need for a comprehensive, cohesive approach to career theory, practice, and research and the need for action rather than reaction in the career literature.
These challenges remain largely unmet, and Schultheiss, Palma, and Manzi (2005) have more recently called for a greater integration of theory, practice, and research in children's career development literature. This call has been endorsed by Watson and McMahon (2007), who recommended strengthening the provision of intentional, career development learning experiences for children. This consistent schism between career theory, practice, and research, although reflective of the career psychology discipline in general, limits an in-depth understanding of the dynamic nature of children's career development. Furthermore, it limits understanding of how best to provide practical interventions that will build a firm foundation for children's life span career development.
There have been two more recent substantive reviews of the research literature on the career development of children (Hartung, Porfeli, & Vondracek, 2005;Watson & McMahon, 2005), both of which have endorsed Gysbers's (1996) challenges to the field. In particular, these reviews highlighted the critical importance of understanding career the critical importance of understanding career development in this early, life span phase and the limited nature of this