The book presents a research study that examined the retraining and career development experiences of new and professional immigrants in Canada. The study intended to provide an in-depth perspective into the influence of immigrants' optimism and self-efficacy on their retraining and career development experiences. Using a qualitative methodology, in-depth interviews were conducted and a grounded theory approach was employed to analyze the data. Central themes within participant narratives emerged and key results were introduced. Participants' experiences included a myriad of barriers and challenges, yet many viewed this experience as a positive opportunity for growth and development. The results explored differences between optimists' and pessimists' retraining and career development experiences, as well as the role of self-efficacy within immigrants' career development. Results have implications for career and vocational psychology literature, practice, and career counselling, and include suggestions for future researchers. (Nova)

This book examines how the career counselling profession should respond to the changes in the world of work that have resulted from the increasing need to communicate faster and disseminate information more efficiently. It emphasizes the twin aims of enhancing a persons’ career adaptability and helping them to become more employable, rather than linearly trying to find a job and remaining in one organisation for their entire career-lives. The book shows that, to achieve these aims, people need to acquire career resilience, especially since the world of work no longer provides workers with work-holding environments for the duration of their career-lives. It takes into account historical analyses which show that whenever major technological change has occurred and widespread job losses have ensued, people have managed to use the new technology to create new employment opportunities. Readers from career psychology and management research, vocational and professional career coaching, and students of career psychology will find this book delivers sound, updated theory demonstrating how perceived threats in the 21st century can conceivably be turned into opportunities.

The American immigrant worklife adjustment literature over the past few decades has presented the barriers faced by new immigrants. Several scholars have suggested that new immigrants experience difficulty in obtaining employment in their pre-immigration field. Nevertheless, the knowledge of factors contributing to the successful career transition of skilled immigrants remains underresearched. In light of the growing numbers of immigrants with professional credentials, this gap urgently needs to be addressed to prevent skill underutilization. This study's goal was to present a picture of the meaningful experiences of professional immigrants, who were trained in their countries of origin and then relocated to the U.S. and successfully re-entered their professional fields of work. The purpose of this study was to identify the pathways taken by these immigrants and the factors which contributed to their successful career transition. A qualitative methodology was employed and transcripts of in-depth interviews with ten professional immigrants were analyzed using a phenomenological approach to the inquiry. Four themes emerged through data collection and analysis: support network, personality and professional identity, career advancement, and overcoming challenges. The discussion of the findings that includes elaboration on the meaning of what it is to be a successful skilled immigrant is seen through the lens of social cognitive career theory (SCCT) and incorporates construction career theory (CCT). The most significant finding showed that participants exhibited positive perceptions of the barriers on their journey of career transition. The study contributes to SCCT by revealing that a supportive environment comprised of parents, spouses, professional connections, the immigrant community, social media, and culturally sensitive and competent employers strongly contributes to a successful career transition. Also, in light of SCCT, participants' narratives indicated the following cognitive variables: self-efficacy, interests, personal goals, and outcome expectations practiced as needed in navigating the transition process. Furthermore, in relation to CCT, certain personality characteristics, along with adaptability incorporating expectations without entitlement, planning in advance, and furthering educational credentials in the U.S. positively influenced skilled immigrants' career development in the U.S. These findings carry implications for research and the practice of career counseling, psychology counseling, and immigration policies that are also discussed.

In an era of escalating conflict-induced and climate-induced migration and cross-border interaction, transnational-competence (TC) preparation for displaced persons, members of their host communities, humanitarian responders, and health-care professionals is increasingly critical. Building on insights from those engaged with a range of humanitarian crises and global-justice contexts, along with multidisciplinary research findings, this cutting-edge volume provides practical guidelines for preparing stakeholders for effective short-term and long-term responses to challenges arising in the wake of population dislocation generated by armed conflict, persecution, and climate change. Addressing the need to equip humanitarian care-givers and care-receivers with valuable skills for working together across barriers and boundaries, the guidance presented in the book enables educators, trainers, and field-based multinational and local responders to enhance and evaluate the quality and sustainability of humanitarian efforts that promote and bolster resilience and belonging and augment well-being, justice, and sustainable development. It features comprehensive TC-teaching and learning strategies coupled with tailored on-site and remote approaches and methods. Authoritative and insightful, Migrant Health and Resilience will be essential reading for the staff of NGOs, international organizations, national and local governments, and professional bodies working in development and humanitarian-crisis contexts, as well as for students, higher-education instructors, scholars, and evaluators.

Taking an interdisciplinary approach and focusing on the social and psychological resources that promote resilience among forced migrants, this book presents theory and evidence about what keeps refugees healthy during resettlement. The book draws on contributions from cultural psychiatry, anthropology, ethics, nursing, psychiatric epidemiology, sociology and social work. Concern about immigrant mental health and social integration in resettlement countries has given rise to public debates that challenge scientists and policy makers to assemble facts and solutions to perceived problems. Since the 1980s, refugee mental health research has been productive but arguably overly-focused on mental disorders and problems rather than solutions. Social science perspectives are not well integrated with medical science and treatment, which is at odds with social reality and underlies inadequacy and fragmentation in policy and service delivery. Research and practice that contribute to positive refugee mental health from Canada and the U.S. show that refugee mental health promotion must take into account social and policy contexts of immigration and health care in addition to medical issues. Despite traumatic experiences, most refugees are not mentally ill in a clinical sense and those who do need medical attention often do not receive appropriate care. As recent studies show, social and cultural determinants of health may play a larger role in refugee health and adaptation outcomes than do biological factors or pre-migration experiences. This book’s goal therefore is to broaden the refugee mental health field with social and cultural perspectives on resilience and mental health.

How do athletes overcome fears, slumps, mental blocks, or injuries? How do they deal with stress and anxiety, be it from competitors, teammates, audiences, parents, coaches, or themselves? What psychological techniques prove effective in mental training for peak performance, maintaining concentration, motivation, and competitive drive? How can an athlete enhance his or her commitment to a training regimen, or how might the average person better adhere to a program of fitness and exercise? Readers will find answers to these questions and more in the Encyclopedia of Sport and Exercise Psychology. Features & Benefits: Entries explore the theory, research, and application of psychology as it relates to sport and fitness in a manner that is accessible and jargon-free to help readers better understand human behavior in sport and exercise settings. From personal factors to situational factors influencing performance to specific psychological techniques for enhancing performance, this work provides comprehensive coverage of the field via approximately 350 to 400 signed entries. Entries conclude with cross-references and suggestions for further readings to guide students further in their research journey. Available in print and online, this monumental work is edited by two leading figures in the field with a distinguished international Editorial Advisory Board to select and assign entries, ensuring authoritative content readers can trust. Key Themes: Career Transition Certification, Credentialing, and Roles of Sport and Exercise Psychologists Disability Emotion Exercise Health Group Dynamics History and Foundation Leadership Morality, Aggression, and Ethics in Sport Motivation Motor Control Perception and Cognition in Sport Personality and Psychological Characteristics in Sport Psychobiology Psychological Skills/Interventions Psychosociocultural Self-Concept/Self-Perceptions, and Identity Youth Sport