Factors affecting vocational goal acquisition of female immigrant clients: Rehabilitation counselor perspectives

This research examines factors affecting the service outcomes of immigrant women with disabilities who received vocational rehabilitation services, from the perspectives of their rehabilitation counselors. The participants were eight rehabilitation counselors. Counselor perspectives were obtained through the narrative inquiry method. Eight prevailing themes arose across the stories, regarding contributing factors: immigrant status, amount of time spent providing services, level of client self-confidence, motivation, collaborative team member relationships and a strong client/counselor working alliance, counselor cultural sensitivity, the establishment of rapport, and counselor altruism. The theme of client immigrant status contained a number of related subthemes. Implications are discussed.