Sex bias in educational-vocation counseling

Literature pertinent to sex discrimination in educational and vocational counseling is reviewed. Among the many factors that contribute to inequita-ble counseling are the sex role socialization that clients bring to the counsel-ing interaction, the sex role attitudes and biases of counselors, deficiencies in counselor training, and shortcomings of tests and other source materials used in counseling practice. Recommendations are made toward more com-prehensive counseling services for women and men, Sex bias in vocational counseling occurs whenever client career options are defined by the counselor partly on the basis of the client’s sex. Such restriction of career opportunitites may happen overtly or covertly through communication to the client of subtle sex role ex-pectations or attitudes. The present research was done to gain a better understanding of components of the counseling interaction that might work to the detriment of the female counselee. Aspects of clients ’ personal so-cialization and counselors ’ professional training that might contribute to sex-biased counseling are examined. The impact of tests and other source materials routinely used to assist clients with educational, vocational, and personal decisions i s also considered. This review This paper reviews a report prepared under contract No. 300-75-0207 with the Educatio