A strengths-based longitudinal career intervention for junior secondary school students with special educational needs: Impacts on students’ meaning in life and self-efficacy

This Hong Kong study evaluated a strengths-based career intervention program for junior secondary school students with special educational needs. The treatment group comprised 19 boys and 13 girls with SEN from 5 schools, with an additional 28 SEN students forming the control group matched for age, gender and parents’ education level. Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires covering career development self-efficacy, personal and social development, and meaning in life were administered to both groups. Several months after the intervention, participants, teachers and social workers involved were interviewed to evaluate effects of the intervention. Findings indicated significant interactions between Time 1 and Time 2, and between control vs. treatment groups in personal goal-setting, career goal-setting, and presence of meaning in life. Several themes emerged from the interviews suggesting that the intervention had positive effects on SEN students’ career, personal and social development, self-efficacy, and meaning in life. Copyright © 2022 Meaning in Life (MIL) International Conference.