During the formative period, which individual became a proponent of guidance counseling focusing on growth and prevention?

• A. Frank Parsons
• B. Jessie B. Davis
• C. Carl Rogers
• D. B.F. Skinner

Answer: (A)

During the formative period, the emphasis was on building a structured, preventive approach to help individuals grow and make informed life choices. Frank Parsons is the best fit because he laid the foundation for guidance as a systematic process that combines self-understanding with knowledge of work to guide decisions. His work on vocational guidance framed counseling as a way to foster personal development and prevent future dissatisfaction or misfits by helping people identify their abilities and interests and connect them with suitable occupations. Jessie B. Davis contributed by introducing school guidance programs, but Parsons is the one whose work explicitly framed guidance as a proactive, growth-oriented service. Carl Rogers and B.F. Skinner represent later or different approaches—Rogers focusing on client-centered growth in therapy and Skinner on behaviorism—rather than the early, career-focused guidance movement.