Costa Rican Journal of Guidance & Counseling
The RCO is the official publication of the College of Guidance Professionals. With a scientific focus and open access, its goal is to disseminate theoretical, methodological, and practical knowledge generated in the field of guidance, both nationally and internationally
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The Transition from Primary to Secondary Education: An Analysis Based on Student Narratives and Family Perceptions
Objective: To analyze the perceptions, emotions, anxieties, and expectations associated with the transition from primary to secondary education from the perspectives of sixth-grade students and their families. Method: This research employed a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design. The study involved 18 sixth-grade students from Escuela Honduras in Pozos de Santa Ana, Costa Rica, along with their families. Data were collected through written narratives and qualitative questionnaires featuring open-ended questions. Analysis was conducted via thematic coding and the construction of emergent categories, grounded in Schlossberg’s transition theory. Results: Findings indicate that the educational transition is experienced as an emotionally ambivalent event, where enthusiasm and positive expectations coexist with apprehension and insecurity regarding new academic and social dynamics. Furthermore, family support was identified as a significant protective factor throughout the adaptation process and in decision-making regarding the transition to secondary education. Conclusions: The educational transition represents a multidimensional phenomenon that necessitates comprehensive support from school counseling services. These initiatives must account for students’ subjective experiences, the pivotal role of family support, and the institutional dynamics inherent in the transition to secondary schooling.
Journal Articles (Peer Reviewed Section)
Copyright (c) 2026 Carlos Enrique Ulloa-Guzmán https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Career Development in Industry 5.0: Lifelong Learning and Reskilling for Guidance Professionals
This essay envisions lifelong learning as a reskilling strategy for the career development of guidance professionals within the context of Industry 5.0. It is based on the premise that technological transformations modify not only occupations and competencies but also the way in which professional trajectories are constructed and sustained. In this scenario, it is vital to question how the field of Guidance can support processes of change if it does not, in turn, embrace its own updating and redefinition as a lifelong exercise. The central thesis, rooted in the career development paradigm, posits that lifelong learning is not merely a structural requirement of the labor market, but an inherent ethical responsibility of guidance practice. This paradigm conceives reskilling as part of a dynamic process of identity and professional construction, rather than a personal failure. The text integrates contributions from contemporary theories—such as career adaptability, protean and boundaryless careers, and green guidance—to substantiate the need for active and reflective management of professional trajectories for guidance practitioners and their clients. Key contributions include the integration of the career development approach into initial and ongoing training, the critical analysis of technology and AI use within guidance practice in Industry 5.0 contexts, and professional updating as a condition for relevance and social justice. It concludes that Guidance must model, through its own practice and ethical commitment, the principles of lifelong learning and adaptability it promotes.
Copyright (c) 2026 Pablo Armando Sibaja-Mojica https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Guidance professionals' experiences with digital tools and technology during the pandemic
Objective: To understand the experiences of guidance professionals regarding the use of digital tools and technologies during the pandemic, based on the meanings they assign to their professional practice. Method: This study was conducted within a naturalistic paradigm using a qualitative-phenomenological approach. The experiences of six participants, selected through convenience sampling, were explored. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews and a focus group. The categories of analysis included the use of digital tools, experiences regarding skill development, and the strengthening of professional practice in Guidance. Data analysis was carried out through triangulation of the interviews, the focus group, and existing theory. Results: The findings indicate that technical proficiency is not merely an asset but a core pillar of professional identity. Furthermore, the development of digital competencies streamlines teaching and learning processes, ensuring that guidance counseling remains relevant in the modern era. Likewise, the digital divide remains an obstacle in the development of digital skills between those who have embraced technologies and those who have difficulty adapting. Conclusions: It is concluded that the adaptation and development of digital competencies among guidance counselors is a process of continuous professional growth. Furthermore, self-directed learning has served as the primary driver for humanizing virtual environments and overcoming structural gaps within the Costa Rican educational system.
Copyright (c) 2026 Adriana Chaves-Miranda, Laurence Jamil Espinoza-McCarthy https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Key Concepts in Vocational Guidance: An Overview of Its Evolution
Objective: To clarify the main conceptual changes that have emerged in vocational guidance since the second half of the last century and the first decades of the 21st century – a period marked by the shift from vocational guidance to career development. Methodology: A literature review was conducted on the concepts of vocation, calling, career, and career development, drawing on theoretical contributions from various internationally recognized authors in the field of career guidance. This included both those who established the initial ideas and those who transformed and updated them to align with the changes of the modern world. In addition, contributions from the researchers regarding the Costa Rican context were incorporated. Results: The four concepts that emerged with the discipline and subsequently evolved are examined in depth. These modifications represent a profound conceptual transformation that has also influenced practical interventions. From an epistemological standpoint, this change has implications for professional practice. Conclusions: In Costa Rica, there is a clear need for institutions offering vocational services, guidance counseling training programs, and practicing professionals to clarify the meaning they assign to each concept and the underlying theoretical assumptions. Furthermore, a deep understanding of the Costa Rican context and conditions is required.
Copyright (c) 2025 Silvia Alvarado-Cordero, Carmen María Frías-Quesada, Viria Ureña-Salazar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Intercultural Educational Guidance: Theoretical and Practical Approaches for its Understanding in Pluricultural Environments
Objective: To deepen the understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity, promoting the development of competencies that foster interculturality in pluricultural educational environments. Methodology: Based on an updated bibliographic review, the relationship between educational guidance and interculturality is analyzed, highlighting the importance of promoting mutual understanding and social cohesion. Results: The findings indicate that intercultural educational guidance is based on the premise that knowledge and appreciation of diverse cultures enrich individual and collective life, which overcomes stereotypes and prejudices. Furthermore, this perspective recognizes cultural diversity as a source of wealth that entails the responsibility to build more inclusive and respectful societies. To this end, emphasis is placed on implementing educational strategies such as the pedagogy of questioning and critical reflection, which are key to consolidating an intercultural educational guidance approach. This approach not only promotes equity and inclusion in educational settings, but also prepares individuals to face the challenges and seize the opportunities of a globalized world. Conclusions: In this sense, the role of the guidance professional is fundamental in promoting equity and social justice within educational settings. Their work involves guiding learning from an intercultural perspective and promoting awareness-raising and training processes that empower students, teachers, families, and communities to understand and respect diversity, thereby building more just and supportive communities enriched by values ​​that enhance social and cultural coexistence.
Copyright (c) 2025 Carol Graciela Trejos-Morales https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Career Choice in the 21st Century: Between uncertainty and undecidability
This essay reflects on the debate about free will and undecidability in the career choice process. It is approached from a transdisciplinary perspective, using classical and contemporary authors as the focus of analysis. It questions free will in the context of technological disruption and proposes updating the counselor toward self-guidance and centering all action on the subject.
Invited Voices (Non-peer-reviewed section)
Copyright (c) 2025 Héctor Magaña-Vargas https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
III International Guidance Congress: A Learning Space for Students in Training
Objective: To recognize the contributions of the Third International Guidance Congress to the training of students in the Guidance program at the University of Costa Rica. Methodology: The research was conducted using a qualitative methodology with a phenomenological approach, with the participation of 14 students who attended the Guidance Congress, which was held in October 2024. Questionnaires and discussion circles were used, and the conference was recorded and transcribed into a database for analysis. Results: The results are organized into expectations and significant learning categories. It is noteworthy that the expectations of participating students to complement their university education were met, and it provided a space for exchange. In addition, significant learning was identified in terms of the importance of professional updating, the incorporation of technology into guidance activities, and understanding different work contexts and intervention methodologies. Conclusions: This conference is an opportunity for personal and professional development, and it is essential, from the initial university education, to contribute to the promotion of the commitment to professional updating.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sylvia Alvarado Cordero, Ericka Jiménez Espinoza, Fabiola Castillo Azofeifa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Psychosocial Transition in Support Networks among Nicaraguan Migrants: A Phenomenological Study Using Counseling
Objective: To understand the psychosocial transition of Nicaraguan migrants in Costa Rica by analyzing the context in which the migration process occurs and the role of support networks in its development. The importance of counseling is highlighted as a key resource to facilitate the adaptation and well-being of this population. Methodology: A qualitative approach with a phenomenological design was used to better understand the participants' experiences. Data collection was conducted through focus groups and life histories with six Nicaraguan migrants. Data analysis was performed using the progress method, utilizing information triangulation to ensure the quality of the study. Results: The findings indicate that the psychosocial transition of this population is characterized by uncertainty, migratory grief, and the need to adjust to an environment with distinct sociocultural dynamics. Likewise, it was identified that the most important support networks are family and partners, with community, institutions, and friendship playing a secondary role. Conclusions: The psychosocial transition of Nicaraguan migrants is a complex process that requires comprehensive attention. Counseling is presented as a key element to strengthen support networks and develop monitoring strategies that promote the integration and well-being of this population in the host country. The implementation of programs that promote emotional and social support, tailored to the specific needs of migrants, is recommended.
Copyright (c) 2025 Noemy Melissa Quesada Quesada, Melanny María Vindas-Chinchilla, Manuel Arturo Fallas-Vargas, José Antonio García-Martínez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Ninth-Grade Students' Demands Related to Educational and Career Guidance at Two Panamanian Schools
Objective: To describe and analyze the demands of ninth-grade students related to educational and career guidance at the Instituto Profesional Técnico Leonila Pinzón de Grimaldo and the Instituto Profesional Técnico e Industrial de Aguadulce, in Coclé, Panama, during the second semester of 2023. Methodology: A basic, non-experimental, cross-sectional, retrospective, and quantitative study was conducted. This study was based on fieldwork through the administration of a structured survey to 60 students. The survey was validated. Descriptive statistics were presented, and analysis was performed using the chi-square test. Results: Ninth-grade students articulated specific demands for educational guidance, emphasizing the need for support in personal, social, and vocational aspects. They expressed a preference for the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and dynamic, interactive, and personalized guidance modalities. Conclusions: Educational guidance faces the challenge of adapting to a complex environment, where the significant incorporation of ICTs requires not only infrastructure but also the development of professional skills in guidance providers. Overcoming these limitations would allow for optimizing interventions and expanding the formative impact on the development of academic and professional careers.
Copyright (c) 2025 Mirineth Magallón-Olivardía https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Guidance Action in the Costa Rican Humanities School System for the Development of Comprehensive Student Well-being
Objective: To analyze the influence of guidance work in pre-university settings on the development of comprehensive student well-being. Methodology: The research was performed in the Costa Rican Humanities School System (SCHC, its acronym in Spanish). It was carried out from a positivist and naturalistic paradigm, using a concurrent triangulation design with a non-probabilistic sample as a starting point. A total of 85 participants were selected based on the following criteria: representatives of SCHC executive directors and eleventh-year students. Results:Adolescence is influenced by a series of changes that affect the construction of identity and life plans. Therefore, the analysis of the information obtained confirms the functions that characterize the Guidance service in this educational modality and reflects the three dimensions of the comprehensive well-being circle that are prominent in guidance and collective interventions. Conclusions: To ensure the comprehensive well-being of students, the Guidance Department provides personalized services on various topics, such as the sense of identity and belonging, mental health, emotional regulation, decision-making, as well as an approach focused on adaptability in a transitional context, which facilitates understanding of the personal present and life design.
Copyright (c) 2025 María Marta Castro Arce https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Strengths and Challenges of Counseling Professionals in Serving Trans Students in Daytime Secondary School
Objective: The results of the fourth objective of the research on the care of transgender adolescents in secondary school are presented. This objective seeks to identify the main strengths and challenges of the Counseling professional in caring for transgender students. Methodology: The research was based on the naturalistic paradigm, using a qualitative approach and the phenomenological method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants to collect the information (two counselors, two trans and cisgender students, one parent of the trans student, and two teachers). The analysis was conducted through triangulation between the interviews, theory, and guiding criteria, utilizing categorization and open coding to group the units of meaning into two analytical categories: strengths and challenges in the counseling intervention. Results: Respect, empathy, assertiveness, and confidentiality were identified as strengths. Regarding challenges, a lack of training on sexual diversity and tools for serving trans students was noted. Conclusions: The purpose emphasizes the need to enhance professional development and training on topics related to sexual diversity and inclusive sexuality education models. It also highlights the importance of inter-institutional coordination to strengthen care for transgender people in secondary school. A human rights-based approach and ongoing professional development are recommended to ensure safe educational environments for transgender people in their identity development.
Copyright (c) 2025 Alí Roberto Chaves Jiménez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Systematization of the experience of a collective vocational guidance session through the support of ChatGPT with eleventh-year students of the Colegio Científico Costarricense, Puntarenas Campus
Objective: To systematize the experience of a collective vocational guidance session, supported by the use of ChatGPT, to clear up vocational doubts at the Colegio Científico de Puntarenas, to analyze its uses in the reflection and vocational decision-making of students and to extract learning, good practices and recommendations for future implementations in vocational guidance processes. Methodology: The article is based on Oscar Jara's (2018) experience systematization model, which starts from living the experience, making a systematization plan, and recovering the experienced process to reflect and provide conclusions and recommendations of the lessons learned, from a qualitative perspective. Data were collected from seven students during a 45-minute group guidance session in the first semester of 2024. Results: The ChatGPT artificial intelligence tool was used to support this group career guidance session. This allowed students in their final year of scientific secondary school to explore personal career interests, universities and scholarships, working conditions and professional opportunities, as well as academic and educational information. This information was provided quickly and concisely by the AI, along with the support of a guidance professional mediating the process. Conclusions: ChatGPT facilitates career exploration but requires the support of guidance professionals for a critical and contextualized analysis.
Copyright (c) 2025 Pablo Sibaja Mojica https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Professional Development in ICT: Analysis of Training and Usefulness for Guidance Counselors in Public Schools in Costa Rica
Objective: This article analyzes the professional development in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the institutional support for guidance counselors in public schools in Costa Rica. Methodology: The methodology is quantitative, with an ex post facto, cross-sectional design and descriptive scope. The sample (n=328) comprises guidance professionals from the Ministry of Public Education, who completed a questionnaire. Results: The main findings reveal a critical perception of institutional support, particularly in aspects related to support for the exchange of technological experiences and attention to professional development needs. Although most of the sample reports receiving ICT training, the most valued modalities are those that promote collaborative learning and flexible access to resources. In contrast, less contextualized options, such as visits to other schools or short courses, are considered less effective. Conclusions: The importance of collaborative learning and access to updated resources for efficient training is highlighted. However, the lack of contextualization in some modalities and the limited institutional support hinder the integration of ICTs in guidance counseling. The design of practical and relevant programs is recommended, with greater involvement of the educational institutions in identifying the technological needs of the guidance counseling community.
Copyright (c) 2025 Daniela Morera-Ulate, Dana Angélica Navarro-Bonilla, José Antonio García-Martínez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Paradigmatic review of theoretical approaches to vocational guidance: a proposal for an integrative model
Objective: To construct a paradigmatic classification proposal, contextualized in the Costa Rican reality, based on the sociohistorical development of theoretical approaches to vocational guidance. Methodology: A critical literature review is used, which seeks to synthesize and analyze materials from diverse sources to present a proposed paradigmatic classification model for vocational approaches. For this purpose, paradigmatic classifications from reference authors were sought, and three specific proposals were analyzed: Savickas (2012), Rascovan (2013), and McMahon (2014). Results: Among the main results, it stands out that the highlighted proposals of McMahon and Rascovan classify vocational approaches into four paradigms, while Savickas classifies them into three paradigms. Furthermore, all proposals identify a psychometric paradigm as the starting point for vocational guidance, while the social justice and career education paradigms are presented in two of the three classifications analyzed. In turn, each proposal identifies the most recent paradigm with a different name (life design, critical, complex, and new trends, respectively). Based on the study's methodology, a proposal for an integrative model for Costa Rica is presented, consisting of five paradigms (positivism, naturalism, constructivism, sociocritical, and complex), including paradigmatic overlaps. As part of the study, the approaches within this proposal are classified. Conclusions: The paradigmatic situation of guidance in Costa Rica is located right in the middle of the current proposal from the global north (constructivist paradigm) and the Latin American one (sociocritical paradigm).
Copyright (c) 2025 Mauricio Navarro-Bulgarelli, Osvaldo Murillo Aguilar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Pilot Test of the Comprehensive Training Program: Designing My Future for New Students at LCI VERITAS University, Costa Rica
Objective: To evaluate the main results of the application of the pilot test of the Comprehensive Training Program: Designing My Future, specifically the MOOC Time for Everything, to first-semester students at LCI Veritas University. Methodology: This is a mixed-method study using a sequential explanatory design. Quantitative data collected in the evaluation survey and an instrument of time management habits (post- and pre-test) were used. Qualitative data from this evaluation, course products, and information from interviews with instructors were then used in-depth. The primary source was the participating students (n=161), while the other sources were two instructors representing the courses participating in the pilot test and 483 documents. Results: There is a high pedagogical quality, and the expected time management skills increased. 76% of students were highly satisfied, especially with the learning resources, instructional design, and content. In fact, 86% of students would recommend the MOOC to another peer, and 87% of the population achieved a high frequency of time management habits at the end of the MOOC, mainly in planning. Conclusions: The results of the Time for Everything MOOC pilot are evaluated as highly positive for both student training and the efforts of faculty and the Guidance Office. Its implementation is recommended across all university programs, with actions at enhancing student motivation and placing greater emphasis on effective time management strategies.
Copyright (c) 2025 Raquel Bulgarelli-Bolaños https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Components that mediate the employability of people with visual disabilities who graduated from university courses in Costa Rica
Objective: To analyze the components that mediate the employability of people with visual disabilities who graduated from university degrees in Administration and Management in Human Resources, Sociology, Psychology, and Career Guidance in Costa Rica in the period 2021-2024. Methodology: It is carried out from a naturalistic paradigm with a phenomenological approach, based on a qualitative research method, in which five participants were selected through convenience sampling, considering three inclusion criteria: that they have a situation of visual disability, that they are graduates of a university in Costa Rica, and that they are currently working. Results: Employability has a transversal character that encompasses three components: university education, insertion, and job permanence. Since the basic functions of universities foster the development of skills that have a relationship and a contribution to the personal and working conditions of the people under study at the time of entering the labor market, this influences the commitment and job satisfaction they have in their jobs. Conclusions: University education significantly contributes to developing soft skills for people with visual impairments. Both personal and work conditions foster a transition of personal and professional development in the population. Some elements affect the employment permanence of the population, such as job satisfaction and commitment.
Copyright (c) 2024 Valeria Sevilla Cortés, Mariel Herrera-Zárate, Josue https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Systematization of the experience in conducting the Academic Conference on Vocational Guidance at the National University
The main objective of the Academic Conference on Guidance “UNA oportunidad: perspectivas vocacionales” (JAO-UNA) was to strengthen new ways of approaching vocational guidance, offering innovative strategies to face the challenges in various work contexts. The event used a participatory methodology that included conferences, talks, workshops, and teamwork activities, promoting interaction and the exchange of knowledge among attendees, both in person and through virtual environments. This facilitated a dynamic and accessible approach, ensuring diverse participation at a national level due to the combination of the semi-presential modality. The event was attended by prominent Guidance professionals (both national and international), as well as from other disciplines, addressing essential topics such as theoretical updating, employability, emerging contexts, and the use of technologies in the field of vocational guidance. As a result, it was possible to enhance the skills and knowledge of the participants, providing them with practical tools to face current challenges in their respective work fields. The conclusions underlined the positive impact of this type of events in the development and strengthening of the guidance discipline, promoting the comprehensive and contemporary update on vocational guidance in Costa Rica. This addresses key theories and approaches, assuming a critical perspective of its application in the national context and deepening the development of guidance for the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UNESCO 2030 Agenda.
Copyright (c) 2024 Evelyn Yirlana Vargas-Hernández, Kattia Salas-Pérez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Evidence of validity and reliability of the Employability Competencies Measurement Scale (EMCE) in the student population of the National University, Costa Rica
Objective: Obtain evidence of validity and reliability of the scale for measuring employability skills in students of the third and fourth level of high school in 2022, in accredited courses of the National University. Methodology: It is based on the quantitative paradigm, with a non-experimental design and a descriptive scope. The sample included 335 active students in the II school year of 2022. The design of the EMCE included three phases: a) determination of the profile of employability competencies, b) standardization of employability competencies, and c) instrumentation of the scale. The statistical analysis of validity and reliability was performed using Jamovi software in version 2.4.14. Results: Content validity by expert judgment showed that the EMCE meets the criteria of clarity, coherence, relevance, and sufficiency. The validation of internal structure, with the Bartlett Test (< .001) and the KMO Index (0.919), indicated that Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) is appropriate. The EFA suggests that the first three factors manage to explain 40.6% of the variability of the EMCE construct. Reliability presented a Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.94) and a McDonald's omega coefficient (0.943), confirming high internal consistency. Conclusions: The EMCE proves to be a valid and reliable tool to measure employability skills in university students according to predefined performance criteria.
Daniela de los Ángeles Chavarría-Guevara
Copyright (c) 2024 Alisson Rodríguez-Ávila, Stéfany Gutiérrez-Valerio, Daniela de los Ángeles Chavarría-Guevara, Josué Jiménez-Ulate https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Guiding in complex contexts: Paths of vocational guidance in the Costa Rican educational system
This article presents some reflections on the paths for vocational guidance in the Costa Rican educational system. It reflects on the complexity of the contexts within which guidance is circumscribed and on the need to establish professional practice on a paradigm of complexity. This position will allow for timely responses to the challenges inherent to professional practice, so that these are addressed with a broad and dynamic perspective that considers the complex framework that characterizes the person being guided based on political, economic, social, cultural, and axiological circumstances, as well as their interrelations and perceptions. At the same time, it revisits some elements of the life designing approach, which allows vocational guidance intervention to be operationalized from a perspective of complexity, by proposing the need to move towards a model adapted to current realities that consider the context, values, interrelations, perceptions, and personal capacities in the construction of trajectories in the different areas of life. Finally, some key points are proposed for optimizing vocational guidance, ensuring that the guiding actions are rooted in the substantial elements proposed by both theoretical perspectives. The goal is to enhance employability, career development, and social justice for the target populations served.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ana Victoria Garita Pulido https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Analysis of the Movie "The Little Prince" Based on Transactional Analysis Premises
This essay proposes that films can be examined through the lens of transactional analysis (TA), even if they were not originally conceived from this perspective. It suggests that with the application of TA analysis, movies can serve as a supportive resource in the professional practice of Guidance Counseling. The aim is to highlight how the film "The Little Prince" can be analyzed using TA premises to enhance the use of such materials in interventions within the field of Guidance Counseling. Utilizing the foundational principles of TA, as proposed by Eric Berne, including conceptualizations such as structural and functional analysis of personality, transactions, psychological games, and life scripts. In concludes that TA allows the analysis of human beings in various contexts, enabling Guidance Counseling professionals to engage in different processes of personal development, such as self-awareness. Furthermore, it determines that cinematic materials have the potential to be analyzed through TA. The analysis of a movie such as "The Little Prince" can reveal a series of TA premises, providing Guidance Counselors with opportunities to use their creativity in constructing diverse work processes aligned with the principles of this discipline.
Copyright (c) 2023 Kimberly Mora-Castro https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Psychosocial processes in the affective bonding of university students of Information Systems Engineering at the National University, Costa Rica
Objective: The manuscript analyzed the psychosocial processes inherent in the couple dynamics of students enrolled in the Information Systems Engineering program at the Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica. Methodology: A qualitative methodology of a narrative nature was adopted, and the research covered five participating couples. For data collection, semi-structured interviews and the life history method were used during the year 2021, allowing a significant deepening in the subjects&#39; personal experiences. Results: The analysis of the data revealed that communication between couples is characterized by a predominantly positive orientation, evidencing secure attachment patterns and a marked reciprocity in interpersonal attraction. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of promoting additional research in the field of counseling that delves into couple relationships, especially in specialized academic contexts, to strengthen the body of available knowledge that underpins affective dynamics in university settings.
Copyright (c) 2023 Warner Ruiz-Chaves https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Vocational development process in the older adult population: an analysis from the DOTS model
Objective: Analyze the process of vocational development from the perspective of older adults in their life cycle stage, using the DOTS model proposed by Law and Watts. Methodology: This study was based on the naturalistic paradigm and used a case study design involving four older adults. Data were collected through interviews and four data collection techniques. For the analysis, a triangulation of the results collected was applied. Results: The perspective of older adults on their stage of the life cycle is influenced by multiple intrinsic and extrinsic vocational factors that have developed throughout their personal, emotional, work, and family experiences. Most participants agree that older adulthood can be a stage that allows them to continue learning new activities and fulfill dreams and goals that they had not achieved before. The DOTS model provides a path that encourages reflection and action in favor of each individual&#39;s personal needs as an active subject in society. Conclusions: This model considers and allows the analysis of what each participant can do for themselves according to their individual characteristics to take advantage of the opportunities offered by their environment. This reflects the importance of self-determination and empowerment of older adults in their vocational development and in the pursuit of fulfilling their goals and desires at this stage of life.
Copyright (c) 2023 Carolina Durán-Azofeifa y Melany Gómez-Leiva https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
The Vocational needs of users of the Vocational-Occupational Guidance Center of the University of Costa Rica
The choice of career and university at the end of secondary education represents a challenge for the student population, so facilitating spaces to accompany people from Vocational Guidance at this stage is of paramount importance to meet the needs that may arise, mainly because of the extent that this decision has in people's lives. Therefore, precisely this article aims to reflect on the vocational needs presented by users of the Vocational-Occupational Guidance Center (COVO) of the University of Costa Rica, an Orientation service that aims to advise students in their career choice. Based on the mixed research approach, the biodata of the users of the center were analyzed quantitatively using the initial data sheet of the computerized system of the COVO, and qualitatively the experience of five people who used the service for the first time was used, distributed according to the type of user of this service. As the main result, it is determined that the most outstanding vocational needs in all kinds of users were those related to exploration and professional support; however, despite the similarity in vocational needs, it is evident that they do vary according to the type of user and that the life history influences each person.
Copyright (c) 2023 Yerlin Chaves-Montero, Fanni Rivera-Rojas https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Neuroscientific concepts that support emotional regulation
Polyvagal Theory (PVT) is an innovative contribution to the regulation of emotions and well-being promotion; it helps to understand three types of responses to daily experiences and to distinguish the thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and bodily sensations that characterize each of them. This article discusses the concepts of this theory and how they can contribute to the professional Guidance counselor, both professionally and personally. The work emphasizes how essential interpersonal connections are in regulating emotions, performance in different areas, health, and well-being in general. The importance of the PVT in Guidance is heightened. Finally, reference is made to strategies inspired by PVT.
Copyright (c) 2023 Irma Arguedas-Negrini https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Perspectives and challenges of an inclusive university from a psychopedagogical approach
Attending to diversity in higher education has become a regulatory requirement to which university centers must respond and a commitment from all those involved in Education, to achieve greater equity, greater equal opportunities, and social respect to the rights of all people. The application of these basic principles and the development of a teaching model for all make it necessary to implement preventive and stimulating guidance measures for development, so that students with specific educational needs can access and promote the achievement of their personal, academic, and professional goals. In accordance with this perspective, the objective of this work is to analyze the reality and needs of students with disabilities and propose specific care and support measures, contemplated from a systemic and collaborative approach of psycho-pedagogical intervention. The action proposal that is defended for higher education aims to raise awareness about the importance and need for accompaniment throughout the training required by students with educational support needs, based on an inclusive model in which non-discriminatory individuality is considered and the idea of human diversity is valued positively. At a strategic level, university tutoring is proposed as an intervention measure to help students with disabilities to adapt to the context of higher education and achieve their goals on an equal footing with the rest of the students.
Copyright (c) 2023 Nicole González Benítez, Pedro Ricardo Álvarez Pérez, David López Aguilar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
University Students in Times of Pandemic: Analysis of Social Interaction in the Counseling Major
The change from the face-to-face modality to a virtual mode, which occurred in universities as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, has permeated multiple aspects of students’ lives, especially those who have entered higher education during this period. This study aims to analyze the social interaction of university students who began their studies during the pandemic. Six focus groups were conducted using a qualitative approach and a phenomenological method. In these groups participated thirty students from the first, second, and third years of the Counseling Major at the National University of Costa Rica. The findings show how student interaction has been possible through different technological resources. However, interpersonal relationships are less close and more stressful. Likewise, actions that favor the development of bonds, social skills, and prosocial behaviors are also observed. Finally, there is some difficulty in interacting during and after class sessions, which generates a greater sense of isolation. The results obtained allow the relevant entities to contextualize the environment that surrounds the learners to make decisions that make it possible to meet the needs of the student group to facilitate their integral development.
Copyright (c) 2023 Jinneily Marieth Segura-Badilla, Vetsay Quesada-Quesada, José Antonio García-Martínez, Manuel Arturo Fallas-Vargas https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Challenges of professionals of vocational guidance: A look from the different labor contexts in Costa Rica
Within the framework of the research Challenges of vocational guidance in various work contexts of Guidance professionals in Costa Rica, phase II, developed in 2021, this article highlights the challenges faced by guidance professionals from the different public work contexts, among these are: the National Institute of Learning; the Ministry of Public Education in I, II, III cycle and Diversified Education; the Ministry of Justice and Peace, the National Board of Children, and the State University System. The methodology of the study was developed under a naturalistic paradigm with a qualitative approach and a phenomenological analysis method, for the collection of information the interview technique was applied and a research workshop was developed. The information collected was organized and transcribed using the Atlas Ti program, which allows the triangulation of the data (interviews, the research workshop, and the theoretical conceptualization of each context), and the analysis of the information; finding among the main results, that the use of technological tools represents a challenge for the study population. On the other hand, there is a need for constant updating and learning about the various paradigms, approaches, and theories, specifically those related to the new trends in the discipline (including life design), as well as obtaining strategies to meet the current challenges of the 4.0 revolution, which are part of the challenges indicated by professionals in the discipline.
Copyright (c) 2022 Evelyn Vargas https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Making a work guide to develop preschool group guidance sessions: systematization of a professional experience
This article is based on the systematization of a professional experience that consisted in the creation of a work guide for the group orientation of preschool students in the Antonio Camacho Ortega School, Regional Office, Cartago, Costa Rica, school district 07. The objective of this systematization was to strengthen group processes, from an orientation approach, directed to the early childhood student population to benefit the educational services they receive. The aim of the systematization was the methodology used in group orientation sessions with preschool students from the Antonio Camacho Ortega School during the school year 2021, and as the systemization axis, which aspects of the methodological proposal have effectively contributed in the group orientation sessions with preschool children? We concluded that the proposed methodology was in line with the students’ interests, with the goals of preschool education, and that it favored significant learning.
Copyright (c) 2022 Ana Victoria Garita Pulido https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
The possible implications of Exempt Resolution No. 2076 on the roles and functions of Chilean Counselors
This article aims to present a comparative analysis between the latest ministerial guidelines of the last thirty years in Chile, in relation to their implications in the roles and functions of Chilean counselors, in addition to understanding the aspects that should be considered for an adequate application in the different educational communities, which leads to strengthen curricularly and operationally the work of the counselors.
Copyright (c) 2023 Miguel Pacheco-Córdova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/
Systematization of experiences: Use of an analysis guide of the film Soul in vocational guidance processes for the process of career change or reaffirmation in a university population.
This systematization brings together the experience related to the construction and implementation of an analysis guide for the film Soul, with the aim of accompanying vocational orientation processes, with the student population of the Social Sciences area at the University of Costa Rica. It is for the above that the objective of this experience is to document the creation and implementation of an innovative qualitative tool in the field of vocational guidance with the university population. This experience is based on the individual accompaniment carried out to seven students during the year 2021, whose subject of attention was related to the change or reaffirmation of their university career. Following the steps of the methodological process of a systematization of experiences, for the reconstruction of the history and analysis, the professional annotations resulting from each intervention, the written responses from people about the use of the guide and the electronic records of the Individual Attention System of the Guidance Office were used. Based on this information, conclusions and recommendations are made both to the experience in the use of the guide, and to the course of systematization of experiences offered by the College of Guidance Professionals, which makes the creation of the document possible.
Copyright (c) 2022 Floribeth Amador-Jara https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/cr/