ABSTRACT
Penick and Jepsen discussed the influence of enmeshed families and disengaged families on adolescent's career development. Adolescents from enmeshed families may not be able to distinguish parental goals and expectations from their own career objectives. Characteristics such as a lack of career objectives, uncertain degree expectations, inability to select a major, and anxiety have been used to describe both undecided students and factors contributing to college attrition. Kevin, a seventeen-year-old student, and his parents came in for counseling. According to the model, self-knowledge and career information along with the expectations/dreams of significant others are the three necessary factors to consider when deciding on a career path. In addition to self-knowledge and career information, the dreams of significant others are also critical in helping develop adolescent's career aspirations. The counselor then facilitates the discussion between the parents and Kevin concerning the Self-Directed Search (SDS) results: the congruence between career aspirations, abilities, values, beliefs, and regarding the world of work.
