Holland's Theory in a Post-Modern World: - The Career Center ...

Holland’s Theory 28to see Holland’s work as applicable in the contemporary world. Obviously, this literature reviewhighlights the need for appropriate Holland-based measures for all people that wish to use them.This will best assure the benefits of Holland’s theory can be realized.As we have suggested, there is a need to understand the applicability of Holland-basedassessments and the RIASEC structure in a variety of cultures and countries. Assuring thatHolland’s theory is appropriately used will allow for increased dissemination of the ideas on howto address the evolving needs of our clients.Limitations and Implications for Research and PracticeSeveral of the previous studies assessing the use of Holland’s theory with other cultureshave used the English version of the measures abroad (e.g., Leong et al., 1998; Long et al., 2005;du Toit & de Bruin, 2002). This may have affected the findings of these studies, and it issuggested that future studies attempt to further validate and understand the versions of Hollandbasedinstruments that have been translated or adapted for the culture studied. We have identifiedmany of the translations of the Self-Directed Search and Strong Interest Inventory in Table 2 thatcould be used in such research.We verified information about the various versions, adaptations, and translations ofHolland-based assessments with the official publishers and copyright holders of these materials(i.e., Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc. and CPP, Inc.). The authors realize that otherversions and information may exist but it was decided that official publisher verification wouldbe the standard by which we would include information in this article.An additional shortcoming of current culturally diverse Holland-based assessments is thatthe secondary constructs (e.g., congruence, consistency, differentiation) have not been widelyexplored as predictors of career choice (Leong et al., 1998; Spokane, Meir, & Catalano, 2000).