Minnesota Theory of

Work Adjustment
(TWA)

Prepared by,
Chen Ke Xian (GS46575)
 Developed by Rene Dawis, Lloyd Lofquist and
their colleagues.
Originally developed to provide rehabilitation
services for vocationally challenged clients
under University of Minnesota.
Evolved from trait-and-factor counselling.
Person-Environment Fit model
 Predicting
Predictive whether the
Model individual fits the
work environment
Theory of
Work
Adjustment
Predicting how
Process
the fit is attained
Model and maintained
 Predictive Model

(Match)

Needs Rewards /
Values
Reinforcer
 Predictive Model

(Match)

Job Abilities
Requirements Skills
 Predictive Model

Satisfaction Satisfactory

How satisfied is Employers

an individual with satisfaction with
his/her work the individuals
performance
Tenure

Length of time an individual

and environment interact
 Satisfied & Satisfied but Unsatisfied but Unsatisfied &
Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Unsatisfactory

In
Equilibrium Disequilibrium

Maintenance Adjustment
Behavior Behavior
Adjustment Behavior
Change the
environment
Dissatisfied
Change
themselves
STAY
or
Increase / LEAVE
expand the skills
Unsatisfactory
Change the
environments
expectations

Promote/ Transfer/
Environment
Fire/ Retain
 Personality Style

Celerity Pace Rhythm Endurance

How How What How

fast? intense? pattern? long?
 Predicting whether the
Predictive individual satisfied /
Model satisfactory with the
work environment
Theory of
Work
Adjustment
Process Predicting how
Model adjustment occurs and
how it is maintained
 Process Model
How much people can tolerate
Flexibility discorrespondence before reaching a
threshold adjustment behavior

Active Acts on the environment to decrease

Adjustment discorrespondence

Reactive Act on himself/ herself to reduce

Adjustment discorrespondence

Length of time the person willing to persist

Perseverance in a discorrespondent environment
(after engaging adjustment behavior)
 17 formal propositions and associated
corollaries (refer Table 2.1, page 3)
Predictive Model: Propositions I to X
 Process Model: Proposition XI to XVII
 Assessment of TWA
Not attached to any specific measures
 Assessment of TWA
Needs & Values
Minnesota Importance Questionnaire (MIQ)
- 6 core values:

Achievement Comfort Status

Altruism Safety Autonomy

 Assessment of TWA
Needs & Values
Minnesota Importance Questionnaire (MIQ)
 Assessment of TWA
Needs & Values
Work Importance Profiler (WIP), O*NET
 Assessment of TWA

2 ways of assessment:
Inferred from the match between individual and
environment
Measured directly by asking individuals how much they
like their work.
Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ)
20 facets of job satisfaction

3 summary scores (Intrinsic, Extrinsic & General

Satisfaction)
Other measures of job satisfaction; e.g. Job Descriptive Index
 Assessment of TWA
Satisfactoriness
Minnesota Satisfactoriness Scale (MSS)

Completed by individuals work supervisor

Yield scores on 5 scales:
Performance Conformance
Dependability Personal Adjustment
General Satisfactoriness
Can also be used for self assessment
 TWA-specific instruments as well as other
instruments have been used to support the
theory and its applicability
Strong empirical support on the first 8 formal
propositions (prediction of satisfaction,
satisfactoriness, work adjustment, tenure).
Lack of empirical evidence on Propositions X to
XVII (personality style, adjustment style, and
flexibility).
Research shows applicability for the use of TWA
with culturally stigmatized groups.
 APPLICATIONS
Understand current work trends, stages of
career development & career adaptability
Environmental change in organizations (e.g.
expansion/ reduction/ shifts in power)
discorrespondence adjustment required
Change in individuals (life changes, e.g.
medical diagnosis, having a child)
discorrespondence adjustment required
 APPLICATIONS
Positive psychology movement:
Job satisfaction Overall life satisfaction
Career issue throughout the life span:
Identify occupational possibilities that correspond
with the values and abilities of individuals
Counselling individuals who are currently
dissatisfied with their work environment / judged
unsatisfactory in their current jobs
Promoting adjustment to retirement
 Applying TWA Framework
Several guiding questions in career counselling:
1. What is the match between clients abilities and
the ability requirement of their jobs?
2. What are clients subjective evaluations of their
abilities and the discorrespondence they are
experiencing with requirements of the work
environment?
Is there a discrepancy between self-estimated
and actual abilities or between the perceived
and actual environmental requirements?
 Applying TWA Framework
Several guiding questions in career counselling:
3. What is the match between clients needs
and rewards offered by the environment?
4. Are clients actually both satisfed with and
satisfactory in their work environments but
experiencing difficulties in nonwork
domains?