Career-specific parental behaviors, career exploration and career adaptability: A three-wave investigation among Chinese undergraduates

Linking Career-Related Social Support to Job Search Behavior Among College Students: A Moderated Mediation Model

BACKGROUND

Career-related social support (CRSS) significantly influences job search behavior (JSB). However, the mechanisms and boundary conditions through which CRSS impacts JSB, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, remain unclear. This study examines the mechanisms and boundary conditions through which CRSS influences the JSB among final-year college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, guided by social cognitive career theory (SCCT).

METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in 2021 among 596 final-year college students from two public universities in China, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey collected data on CRSS, CDMS, employment pressure, and JSB.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMS) partially mediates the relationship between CRSS and JSB. Moreover, employment pressure moderates both the direct and mediated pathways; when employment pressure is low, CRSS does not significantly enhance JSB, whereas under a high employment pressure, JSB significantly increases, with higher CRSS. In the mediated pathway, higher CDMS strongly predicts JSB under low employment pressure, but its influence diminishes as the employment pressure rises.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings underscore the critical roles of CDMS and employment pressure in shaping JSB, offering valuable insights for career support initiatives to facilitate the transition of graduates into the workforce during challenging periods.

Career adaptability and graduates' mental health: the mediating role of occupational future time perspective in higher education in China

This study examines the mediating role of Occupational Future Time Perspective (OFTP) in the relationship between Career Adaptability and Mental Health among college graduates. Using a three-month, three-time-point survey of Chinese graduates (N = 905, ages 25-30), we found that Career Adaptability has a significant direct effect on Mental Health. Among OFTP dimensions, Focus on Opportunities emerged as a key mediator, highlighting its role in linking Career Adaptability to positive mental health outcomes. However, Perceived Remaining Time and Focus on Limitations did not show significant mediation effects. These findings underscore the value of fostering opportunity-focused perspectives in career counseling and educational interventions to support graduates' mental health.

How does career-related parental support benefit career adaptability of medical imaging technology students in Asia-Pacific LMICs? The roles of psychological capital and career values

Background

China, as a low- and middle-income country (LMIC) in the Asia-Pacific region, is advancing its rural medical and health system. Students of Medical Imaging Technology (MIT) in China, who will probably be employed in rural, are facing the pressure from both study and employment. Previous results proposed that career-related parent support and psychological capital could positively influence the level of career adaptability, while career-related parent support affects career values. This study aimed to explore the impact of career-related parental support on career adaptability and the mechanism between them, as well as the role of psychological capital and career values.

Methods

A total of 520 (80.8% female) participants were recruited from MIT students in China, using Questionnaires about career-related parental support, psychological capital, career values, career adaptability. Path analysis was conducted using Mplus 8.3.

Results

There was a significant correlation between career adaptability and career-related parental support, psychological capital and career values. Career-related parental support could positively predict students' career adaptation. Psychological capital and career values played a parallel mediating role between career-related parental support and career adaptation.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate that it is necessary to enhance career-related parental support to improve MIT students' career adaptability by the enrichment of psychological capital and the refinement of career values, on the basis of the popularization of medical career programs among the public and medical literacy courses in colleges.

Research on the Effect Mechanism of Career-Specific Parental Support Promoting Meaning in Life of Chinese Higher Vocational College Students

Adolescent students' meaning in life is an important topic of research in positive psychology and educational psychology. Meaning in life is of outstanding value to the whole career development of Chinese higher vocational college students (CHVCS), and parental behaviors have a profound impact on CHVCS' meaning in life. In order to explore the mechanism of the role of career-specific parental support in promoting CHVCS' meaning in life from the perspective of career, this study was based on career construction theory (CCT) and investigated 2498 CHVCS. The results showed that (1) career-specific parental support could directly and positively influence meaning in life; (2) core self-evaluations, career exploration, and career adaptability individually played a partially mediating effect in the relationship between career-specific parental support and meaning in life; (3) "core self-evaluations + career exploration", "core self-evaluations + career adaptability", "career exploration + career adaptability", and "core self-evaluations + career exploration + career adaptability" play a partial chain mediating effect in the relationship between career-specific parental support and meaning in life. This study contributes to meaning in life in CHVCS, enriches career-related research based on CCT, and has important implications for career counseling from a construct perspective.

Enhancing career adaptability in college students: a Tai Chi-based sports intervention study

Introduction

This research explores the impact of Tai Chi, a traditional Chinese martial art, on the career adaptability of college students, utilizing a quasi-experimental design. With the increasing complexities in the transition from school to work, effective interventions that address both psychological and vocational needs are essential.

Methods

The study involved 70 senior college students, randomly assigned to either an intervention group that participated in an organized 8-week Tai Chi program based on positive youth development (PYD) or a control group with no intervention.

Results

Results indicated significant improvements in the intervention group in terms of both career adaptability and satisfaction of basic psychological needs, compared to the control group. Mediation analysis revealed that the increase in career adaptability induced by intervention was mediated by the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, underscoring the effectiveness of Tai Chi as a holistic intervention tool.

Discussion

This study contributes to the field by demonstrating that physical activity, particularly one embedded with deep cultural and philosophical significance like Tai Chi, can effectively enhance the career adaptability of college students. It advocates for the inclusion of PYD-based physical practices in developmental interventions aimed at preparing youth for the challenges of the modern workforce.

Relationship between Family Variables and Career Adaptability: A Meta-Analysis

This study aimed to examine the relationship between family variables (i.e., family support, family SES, parental career-related behavior (PCB) support, PCB interference, and a PCB lack of engagement) and career adaptability through a meta-analysis. A systematic search for relevant studies was conducted using research databases. Twenty-four quantitative studies were yielded from 1684 records on the association between family variables and CA that were published between 1981 and 2024. Two researchers conducted data extraction independently, following coding standards. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Version 3.3 was used in this study. The result showed that PCB support demonstrated a moderately significant correlation with CA and the largest effect size (r = 0.325). A non-significant result was found only for the correlation between PCB interference and CA. Except for gender, the moderating effects of region, age, CA measure, and publication year were found in the relationship between some family variables and CA. One limitation is the restricted range of the samples due to few studies investigating samples from regions other than Asia. The findings can highlight future directions for family studies and career research and hold practical implications for institutes, companies, and communities related to career development. This study was registered in the Open Science Framework (10.17605/OSF.IO/76HNQ).

Career adaptability and correlating factors among secondary vocational nursing students in China

Background

Career adaptability significantly affects college students' career happiness in the future, and it is essential to make a detailed evaluation of its correlation for making a targeted intervention plan. However, the applicability of occupational adaptability to secondary vocational nursing students is still an unexplored field in academic research.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the current situation of career adaptability and its influencing factors on secondary vocational nursing students in medical schools.

Methods

A total of 1,414 secondary vocational nursing students from three secondary colleges and universities in Southwest China from July 2022 to September 2022 were selected for the survey. A questionnaire was used to assess secondary vocational nursing students' sociodemographic, Career Adaptability, Psychological Control Sources, and the Meaning in Life. Statistical analyses were performed using Pearson's correlation analysis, t-test, analysis of variance and multiple.

Results

Secondary vocational nursing students scored (51.03 ± 9.64) for the meaning in life, (81.46 ± 25.39) for psychological control sources, and (94.12 ± 15.55) for career adaptability. Career resilience was significantly and positively correlated with the opportunity and internal control factors of psychological control sources (r = 0.091, -0.488, p < 0.01); and career adaptability was significantly and positively correlated with the sense of seeking meaning and possessing meaning factors of sense of meaning in life (r = 0.725, 0.734, p < 0.01); Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that academic performance, mother's educational level, search for meaning, sense of meaningfulness, opportunities, and internal control entered the regression equation (p < 0.05), explaining 64% of the total variance.

Conclusion

The overall career adaptability of secondary vocational nursing students is at a moderately high level, with significant individual differences closely correlated with locus of control, meaning in life, and career adaptability. Nursing educators can provide targeted intervention measures based on influencing factors to promote the development of secondary vocational nursing students' career adaptability, enabling them to better adapt to future clinical work.

Effect of proactive personality on career adaptability of higher vocational college students: the mediating role of college experience

For higher vocational students, the college stage is an important period in their career development, and the college experience plays an important role in the relationship between their proactive personality and career adaptability, which in turn has a significant impact on their future career development. From the perspective of social cognitive career theory and taking 476 vocational students as samples, this paper explores the mediating role of college experience between proactive personality and career adaptability of vocational college students. The college experience scale is revised for higher vocational students, and it is verified to have good reliability and validity. SPSS and Amos were used to conduct correlation analysis，and the PROCESS macro was used for mediating effect analysis. The results show that the college experience of vocational students plays a partial mediating role in the effect of proactive personality on career adaptability. This work innovatively uses social cognitive career theory to explore the role of college experience in the relationship between proactive personality and career adaptability among vocational students. The theoretical models are established and empirical verification is conducted, confirming that higher vocational students' college experience can affect their career adaptability. These results provide empirical evidence for vocational colleges to improve the career guidance of college students, and intervention measures are proposed to enhance students' career adaptability during school years, thus promoting their sustainable development.

How Important Are Parental Career Expectations? A Subtle and Long-Term Influence on Adolescents' Career Aspirations

Perceived parental expectations of adolescents have been linked to many high school consequences, yet few studies have examined the relationship between perceived parental expectations and adolescents' career aspirations, and potential mechanisms that underlie these associations. To address this research gap, this study investigated the reciprocal relationship between perceived parental expectations and career aspirations, as well as the mediating role of adolescents' career exploration among Chinese adolescents. Using a longitudinal design, a total of 2540 senior high school students (51.38% girls, Mage = 17.09 ± 0.69) participated in the study. The results showed that perceived parental expectations of adolescents have no direct impact on their subsequent career aspirations. A longitudinal mediating role of career exploration was found between perceived parental expectations and career aspirations. No gender differences were found in any of the pathways. These findings provided support for helping adolescents better set their career aspirations by acknowledging the critical role of parental expectations and the mediating role of career exploration.

Linking undergraduates' future work self and employability: a moderated mediation model

BACKGROUND

The career intentions of students play a crucial role in shaping the growth of the hospitality and tourism industry. Previous research underlines the significance of future work self in predicting outcomes related to one's career. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the precise ways, timing, and conditions under which the future work self of undergraduate students can enhance their employability.

METHODS

This paper aims to address the existing research gap by employing career construction theory and self-determination theory to propose a moderated mediation model-i.e., career exploration serves as a mediator and job market knowledge functions as a moderator in the relationship between future work self and employability. We conducted two independent studies (i.e., an experimental study and a time-lagged field study) to test the proposed model. Specifically, in Study 1 we employed an experimental research design to recruit 61 students majoring in tourism management to participate. They were randomly assigned to two scenarios (future work self: high vs. low), and we manipulated different levels of future work self by means of scenario descriptions. In Study 2, we used the time-lagged research design to collect data via submitting questionnaires among 253 Chinese undergraduates who majored in hospitality and tourism at a university in the middle area of China.

RESULTS

The results indicate a positive correlation between undergraduates' future work self and their employability. Furthermore, this relationship is mediated by a mediator of career exploration. It is important to note that this mediating relationship is also contingent upon the moderator variable of undergraduates' job market knowledge when considering the impact of career exploration on employability.

CONCLUSION

The findings contribute to enriching the current understanding of the positive effects of future work self on undergraduates' desirable outcomes in employability.

Career self-efficacy as a mediator between career-specific parental behaviors and school career support on career doubt

This study evaluates whether career-specific parental behaviors and school career supports predict career doubt via the mediation of career self-efficacy. 227 participants aged between 18 and 25 completed an online questionnaire. Structural equation model (SEM) analysis showed that school career support was significantly related to career doubt via the mediation of career self-efficacy. However, the hypothesized mediation of career self-efficacy between career-specific parental behaviors and career doubt was not supported. Limitation and implications are discussed.

The how and the why of study choice processes in higher education: The role of parental involvement and the experience of having an authentic inner compass

INTRODUCTION

Late adolescents differ in the degree to which they are thoroughly engaged in the study choice process and in the degree to which their choices are autonomous in nature. This study examined the unique and interactive roles of (a) parental involvement in the study choice process and (b) late adolescents' sense of having an authentic inner compass (AIC) in predicting their study choice decision-making.

METHOD

A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted among 331 12th-grade adolescents from the Flemish part of Belgium (68.3% female; Mage  = 18.04, SD = 0.48) in the spring of 2017 and 2018.

RESULTS

Results of the latent sum and difference models revealed that late adolescents experiencing a stronger AIC and more need-supportive parental involvement showed more engagement in and autonomous regulation of the study choice process. In contrast, when experiencing more controlling parental involvement or uninvolvement, late adolescents showed more controlled regulation, with parental control also being linked to less commitment. Although mothers were perceived to be more involved than fathers, maternal and paternal involvement were equally strongly related to the study choice tasks.

CONCLUSION

Overall, late adolescents' sense of having an AIC and parental involvement were related independently to the outcomes, with sense of having an AIC yielding the strongest associations.

Influence of Career Decision Ambiguity Tolerance Preference on Career Adaptability: The Role of Individual and Organizational Career Management

Drawing on the career construction and cognitive appraisal theory, this study constructs a moderated mediation model to explore the mechanism of career decision ambiguity tolerance preference (CDAT-P) on career adaptability via challenge appraisal, as well as the interactive effect of individual and organizational career management. Participants comprised 1023 Chinese university students who completed questionnaires with a three-wave design. The results show that CDAT-P positively predicts career adaptability, and challenge appraisal mediates the direct effect. Moreover, individual career management and organizational career management have an interactive effect on the direct relationship between CDAT-P and challenge appraisal and the first stage of the mediating effect. Specifically, when individual and organizational career management are high, the positive direct effect of CDAT-P on challenge appraisal and the mediating effect are stronger.

Medical occupation preference under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of risk and altruistic preferences

We examine the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical occupation preference, focusing on Wuhan, China. We conducted a survey of 5686 respondents in China regarding the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical occupation preference. We also conducted a complimentary survey in the UK with 1198 respondents, as well as a field experiment in Wuhan with 428 first and second-year medical students. We find a significant negative impact of the pandemic on the willingness to let a loved one choose a medical occupation. Individuals who were heavily influenced by the pandemic, that is, Wuhan residents, especially medical workers, express significantly lower medical occupation preference. Further analysis from Sobel-Goodman mediation tests reveals that around half of the total negative effect can be mediated by enhanced risk aversion and reduced altruism. The UK survey and the field experiment with medical students in Wuhan reinforce these findings. Our results suggest a shift in medical workers' risk- and altruistic-preferences has led to a reduced medical occupation preference. Non-medical workers and students who are more altruistic and risk-seeking are more likely to choose a medical occupation.

Curiosity saved the cat: socio-emotional skills mediate the relationship between parental support and career exploration

According to career literature, greater parental support seems to be associated with higher levels of career exploration. This relationship may be mediated by self-regulatory processes, such as social-emotional skills, as curiosity. However, despite the large number of empirical studies that analyze the antecedents of career exploration, there are no references, to our knowledge, to the role of socio-emotional skills. Following this gap, the present study aims to examine the extent to which perceived parental support is associated with career exploration through the mediating effect of curiosity (socio-emotional skill), among a group of 8th and 9th grade students from public schools in southern Portugal (N = 540). An integrated model was conducted using AMOS 20.0 and the results revealed that curiosity is a partial mediator of the relationship between perceived parental support and career exploration. These results highlight the importance of considering socio-emotional skills (such as curiosity) when designing interventions to foster adaptive career behaviors. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed to open the opportunity to progressively extend the participation of proximal contexts (e.g., families) to career and socio-emotional skills development processes.

Socio-emotional skills profiles and their relations with career exploration and perceived parental support among 8th grade students

Socio-emotional skills can play a crucial role in students career development. This study used a person-centered approach to explore socio-emotional skills (curiosity, optimism, empathy, sociability, and responsibility) profiles among 8° grade students (N = 310). We also explored the relations of these profiles with career exploration (self and environmental), perceived parental support (emotional support, instrumental assistance, career-related modeling, and verbal encouragement) and school achievement. Using Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), four distinct profiles emerged that differed in terms of level and shape, namely: Other and Task oriented profile, Socio-emotional Adaptive profile, Socio-emotional non-Adaptive profile, Self- Oriented profile. Our results show that the "Socio-emotional Adaptive" profile can be clearly differentiated from the "Socio-emotional non-Adaptive" profile given the higher values it presents regarding all the variables in study. However, the differences between the "Other and Task Oriented" profile and "Self-Oriented" profile (intermediate profiles) were analyzed and discussed from qualitative point-of-view and adopting an exploratory approach. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that socio-emotional profiles have the potential to account for variations in career behaviors and academic performance. These results provide valuable insights for the development and implementation of career-oriented interventions targeted at 8th grade students and their immediate relational environments.

A network approach to the relationship between career adaptability and starting salary among graduates

Career adaptability is a psychological resource for individuals to deal with career events, and it is a system of human-environment interaction. The components of the career adaptability concept are not independent of each other but rather an interactive network. The present study aims to shed light on the nomological network of career adaptability and the starting salary by investigating their indicators using network analysis to reveal their structural networks and interrelationships. In addition, we compared the similarities and differences between the networks of different gender groups. Results indicate that career adaptability directly connects to starting salary for graduates, and some indicators are the core factors that influence starting salary. Besides, the global structure of gender-specific networks is very similar. However, some differences have been detected, such as becoming curious about new opportunities is the male network's core, while the core of the female network is doing the right thing.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-023-04655-5.

How over-parenting impedes individual career exploration: a goal disengagement perspective

Individuals' early experiences can shape their lifelong development. Notably, healthy parenting experiences will build a good foundation for successful development, whereas inappropriate parenting experiences hinder healthy development. From the goal disengagement perspective, we propose that over-parenting can elicit individual goal disengagement in the development process, which hinders goal-pursuit behaviors. Data collected from 536 university students from China at three time points supported our hypotheses. Specifically, over-parenting promotes more career-exploration goal disengagement, inhibiting career-exploration behavior. In addition, the process mentioned above is more salient for individuals with a high need for parental approval. The theoretical and practical implications of this research are also discussed.

The Relationships Between Career-Related Emotional Support From Parents and Teachers and Career Adaptability

Career-related support from parents and teachers plays an essential role in the process of promoting young people's career development. This study examined the relationship between parents' and teachers' career-related support and career adaptability among Chinese male primary school preservice teachers (N = 772). The participants completed the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale-Short Version (CAAS), the Career-Related Parental Support Scale (CRPSS), and the Career-Related Teacher Support Scale (CRTSS). Results showed that a high level of emotional support from parents and teachers had more effects on the career adaptability of Chinese male primary school preservice teachers then other aspects in the scale, and teachers' emotional support is more important than parents' emotional support. Notably, there is a complex correlation among education level and occupation of parents and their children's occupational adaptability. These findings carry implications for supporting teachers and parents in facilitating preservice teachers' career adaptability. Future research could identify the differential effects of different forms of teacher support and parental support relate to career adaptability.

A social cognitive perspective on occupational identity development in college students

Occupational identity is a central concept of career development, by providing a sense of direction and meaning across career development. This study aimed to examine how this concept can be associated with career processes through model formed by a set of socio-cognitive factors. The participants were 358 college students at a Brazilian university who completed measures of occupational identity, environmental supports and barriers, self-efficacy, goal progress, and academic satisfaction. Analysis indicates that the occupational identity status was partially well predicted by the combination of self-efficacy to cope with barriers, supports, academic satisfaction, and goal progress. These results highlight that students with a positive sense of competencies to deal with barriers and adequate levels of academic satisfaction would easily establish an occupational identity.

The Relationship Between Parental Career-Related Factors and Adolescents’ Ambivalence in Career Decision-Making: A Longitudinal Mediation Study

Our current research aimed to investigate the mediating relationship between Parental Career-Related Factors, adolescents’ Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy, and Ambivalence in Career Decision-Making with a total of 605 students from China. We collected data at three different time points, with a 6-month interval between each time point. Then we applied a Cross-Lagged Panel Model using data from all three waves, and the results showed that a higher level of support in Parental Career-Related Behaviors and Adolescent Parent Career Congruence measured at time 1 positively predicted Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy at time 2; Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy at time 2 negatively predicted Ambivalence in Career Decision-Making at time 3; and the indirect effect of support in Parental Career-Related Behaviors and Adolescent Parent Career Congruence on Ambivalence in Career Decision-Making was significant. Therefore, Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy mediated the relationship between support in Parental Career-Related Behaviors and Ambivalence in Career Decision-Making and between Adolescent Parent Career Congruence and Ambivalence in Career Decision-Making. The implications, limitations, and future direction are discussed.

A moderated mediation model of implicit theories of intelligence and life satisfaction among Chinese adolescents

Although life satisfaction is critical for adolescents’ emotional, social, and educational functioning and positive development, social cognitive roles in adolescents’ life satisfaction and potential underlying processes are less known. The present study aimed to explore the effect of implicit theories of intelligence on adolescent life satisfaction and their potential mechanisms. A moderated mediation model was constructed to investigate the mediating role of career exploration and the moderating role of career-specific parental support. Data were collected from 443 10th grade high-school students in Sichuan, China. Results revealed that career exploration fully mediated the positive relationship between implicit theories of intelligence and life satisfaction, while career-specific parental support moderated the relationship between career exploration and life satisfaction. These findings highlight the value of exploring social-cognition and career-related factors in life satisfaction.

Be in Your Element: The Joint Effect of Human Resource Management Strength and Proactive Personality on Employee Creativity

Employee creativity is fast becoming a part and parcel in the wake of the increasing volatility of the employment market and the complexity of job demands. Drawing from the actor-context interactionist theoretical approach and career construction theory, this paper adds to current research by exploring the serial mediating effect of job crafting (JC) and career adaptability (CA) in the impact of human resource management strength (HRMS) on employee creativity. Furthermore, we suggest that proactive personality interacts with HRMS to jointly influence creativity. Survey data from samples of 297 (Study 1) and 390 (Study 2) employees largely confirm our model. Our findings show that HRMS positively impacts employee creativity via serial mediation of job crafting and career adaptability, and proactive personality negatively moderates the process. The paper confirms and expands the interactionist theoretical perspective of creativity, highlights the significance of integration of contextual factors, individual characteristics, and career construction, and makes certain practical sense.

The parental career-related behaviors questionnaire (PCB): Psychometric properties in adolescents and young adults in the Italian context

Over the last few years, the role of parental career-related behaviors in career development has been identified in several studies. Specifically, these behaviors involve difficulties in the adolescents' career decision-making. In the literature, there is a validated scale for measuring parental career-related behaviors in the Italian language, but the validation refers to the Swiss context. Thus, the present study aimed to test the psychometric proprieties of the parental career-related behaviors questionnaire (PCB) in a sample of 323 adolescents and, after an item-adaption, in a sample of 374 university students in Italy. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed to support the three-dimensional structure of the original PCB. Moreover, associations between PCB and career decision-making difficulties were investigated. The results showed that the PCB is a useful instrument for measuring parental career-related behaviors also in the Italian context. Finally, the PCB dimensions were meaningfully related to career decision-making difficulties.

Career Exploration and Career Decision Self-Efficacy in Northwest Chinese Pre-service Kindergarten Teachers: The Mediating Role of Work Volition and Career Adaptability

Studies have documented that career exploration is significantly associated with CDSE, but how this association occurred is not clear yet. This study committed to clarifying the mechanism underlying the relationship between career exploration and CDSE by investigating the mediation effect of work volition and career adaptability among 586 pre-service kindergarten teachers. The participants are recruited from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwest China, covering Han, Hui, and other minorities. They took part in a two-wave (6 months apart) longitudinal survey and reported on their career exploration at T1, work volition, career adaptability, and career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) at T2. Results showed that T1 career exploration is directly related to the T2 CDSE. Further, career exploration contributed to the CDSE through both the separated mediation path and the chained mediation path of T2 work volition and T2 career adaptability. The results suggest that individuals who engage in more career exploration activities are likely to have more confidence in their abilities to make career decisions over time, which was partially and serially explained by individuals’ perception of capacity despite constraints and greater self-regulatory strength. This study is a first attempt to deeply clarify the link between career exploration and CDSE, and the findings shed light on the independent and serial mediating effects of work volition and career adaptability. The implications and limitations are discussed.

Making a Commitment to Your Future: Investigating the Effect of Career Exploration and Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy on the Relationship between Career Concern and Career Commitment

Career commitment refers to individuals’ dedication to their career; in the field of vocational psychology, career commitment is considered a vital factor for promoting a sustainable career. The current study examined a mediation model of career concern related to career commitment with career exploration and Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy (CDMSE) as two mediators. The participants were 1105 high school students (males = 594, females = 511) recruited from three main cities in Jiangsu Province, China. Results indicated that the hypotheses were all confirmed: the direct effect of career concern on career commitment was significant (β = 0.598, p < 0.001); the indirect effect of career concern on career commitment through career exploration and CDMSE was also significant (β = 0.255, p < 0.001); and career exploration and CDMSE mediated the relation from career concern to career commitment. Finally, the authors discussed the implications of the findings which could be applied to improve a high school student’s career commitment and the sustainability of career development. The limitations of the study and the future research needed to complement the current work are also discussed.

How Do Students Become Good Workers? Investigating the Impact of Gender and School on the Relationship between Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy and Career Exploration

In the field of vocational psychology, career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) and career exploration (CE) are considered the crucial factors for developing a sustainable career. This study investigated the relationship between CDMSE and CE among Chinese high-school students, as well as the moderating effects of gender and school. From 2019 to 2021, 24,273 students from 13 different high schools were recruited in the study (male = 15,050, female = 9223; urban schools = 12,327, rural schools = 11,946). The results showed that (i) male students scored significantly higher than female students in both CDMSE and CE, (ii) students from urban schools scored significantly higher than students from rural schools in both CDMSE and CE, (iii) CDMSE positively predicted CE, and (iv) school moderated the relationship between CDMSE and CE, with the effect of CDMSE on CE stronger among rural school students; a moderating effect of gender was not found. These findings indicate that promoting CDMSE can lead high-school students, especially rural school students, to engage more in CE to ensure sustainable career development under the protean and boundaryless career orientation.

The Mediating Roles of Core Self-Evaluation and Career Exploration in the Association Between Proactive Personality and Job Search Clarity

In recent years, university students’ employment has become an increasingly prominent problem worldwide. Improving the job search clarity of students is a great way to boost job-hunting success. Proactive personality may predict job search clarity through the mediating effects of core self-evaluation and career exploration. However, few studies have explored this relationship and the mediating roles of core self-evaluation and career exploration. To identify the relationship between a proactive personality and job search clarity and the mediating roles of core self-evaluation and career exploration, a cross-sectional survey was conducted. A total of 495 students majoring in nursing completed the questionnaire which consisted of the proactive personality scale, core self-evaluation scale, career exploration survey, and job search clarity scale. Correlation analyses and mediation analyses were conducted using SPSS 24.0 and AMOS 24.0 respectively. This study showed that students higher on the proactive personality scale were more likely to perform better on job search clarity. Core self-evaluation and career exploration have fully mediating effects on the relationship between a proactive personality and job search clarity. Therefore, interventions concentrated on cultivating proactive personality, improving core self-evaluation, and strengthening career exploration would be necessary for increasing job search clarity.

Assessing Perceived Future Decent Work Securement Among Chinese Impoverished College Students

Drawing from Psychology of Working Theory (PWT), the current study sampled 254 college students from impoverished families in China and examined their perceptions of access to future decent work as predicted by subjective social status and marginalization and mediated by work volition and career adaptability. As impoverished college students are socioeconomically disadvantaged and thus cannot afford college expenses, understanding their perception regarding future careers echoes the call for renewing the focus on equity and diversity within vocational psychology. Findings supported subjective social status as an indirect predictor of perceptions of future decent work via work volition. Work volition and career adaptability directly predicted perceptions of future decent work. Additionally, there is a significant conditional indirect effect between subjective social status, work volition, and perceptions of future decent work. Specifically, the effect was only significant for first-year students. Overall, this study adds new evidence on the applicability of the PWT among student populations. Implications for career researchers, vocational counselors, and student affairs professionals are provided.

Career Decision-Making Difficulties and Life Satisfaction: The Role of Career-Related Parental Behaviors and Career Adaptability

According to the Career Construction Model of Adaptation, career decision-making difficulties (CDD) and life satisfaction are important adaptation results, and career adaptability is a crucial resource to attain positive adaptation results. This study focused on the influence of parental career-related behaviors on career adaptability, CDD and life satisfaction, and the mediating role of career adaptability between parental career-related behaviors and CDD and life satisfaction. Five hundred thirteen Italian students (182 of middle school, 141 of high school, and 190 of university) were involved. The results showed that parental support influences CDD and life satisfaction both directly and indirectly through the mediation of career adaptability. Parental interference and lack of engagement have a positive direct effect on CDD. Finally, CDD and life satisfaction are significantly and negatively associated. The data support the key role of parental support and career adaptability in CDD and life satisfaction. Practical implications are discussed.

We Are Very Similar but Not Really: The Moderating Role of Cultural Identification for Refugee Resettlement of Venezuelans in Colombia

This study aims to test the theoretical model of career adaptability of refugees to investigate the dynamics of successful resettlement. The theoretical model is grounded on career construction and social network theory. We employ quantitative and qualitative methodologies to test the model in a sample of Venezuelans living and working in Colombia. The quantitative results provide partial support for Campion’s model. However, we test an alternative model and find that career adaptability has a direct relationship with subjective resettlement (i.e., life satisfaction and psychological health). In addition, cultural identification plays a buffering role on the harmful effects of discrimination on subjective resettlement. Qualitative results from eight in-depth interviews shed light on the process of refugee resettlement, thus revealing the role of social networks. Our study contributes to previous research on refugees by testing, adapting, and expanding a novel model of work resettlement and focusing on a group of refugees transitioning from one emerging country to another emerging country.

Career-Related Parental Processes and Career Adaptability and Ambivalence Among Chinese Adolescents: A Person-Centered Approach

Using latent profile analyses and based on two-wave data from 5,388 Chinese adolescents (M_age  = 15.79, SD = 0.66; 51.99% females), this study examined the variety of ways in which adolescents' perceived career-related parental processes (i.e., parental expectations, support, interference, barriers to engagement, and parent-child congruence) may be configured within families and how such configurations may be associated with adolescents' career adaptability and ambivalence one year later. Three meaningful profiles were identified: the "Supportive but not Intrusive" (SNI) profile, the "Unsupportive but not Permissive" (UNP) profile, and the "Ambivalent and Controlling" (AC) profile. Adolescents in the UNP profile reported higher levels of career ambivalence and lower levels of career adaptability than did those in either the SNI or the AC profiles. Implications for career development among Chinese adolescents were discussed.

Transformational Leadership, Career Adaptability, and Work Behaviors: The Moderating Role of Task Variety

Career adaptability is a set of individual resources that benefit one’s sustainable development in his/her lifelong careers, especially in today’s turbulent environment. However, how to foster employees’ career adaptability through managerial strategies and eventually contribute to organizations remains to be studied. Guided by the career construction theory, we posit a moderated mediation model that transformational leadership (TFL) could strengthen employees’ career adaptability and further foster their task performance and organization-directed citizenship behavior (OCBO), with task variety moderating the mediation effect. We conducted a three-wave survey with 558 supervisor-employee dyads to test the overall model. The results validated that career adaptability mediated the links between TFL and task performance as well as OCBO. Furthermore, the mediation effect was stronger for employees who had higher levels of task variety. In short, our study offers the groundwork to understand that employees’ career adaptability can be activated by transformational leaders and is self-regulatory to benefit work behaviors in the task variety context. It enlightens organizations to cultivate employees’ career adaptability in the way of TFL and job design, with the objective of promoting the sustainable development for both the employees and the organizations.

Examining Predictors and Outcomes of Decent Work Perception with Chinese Nursing College Students

Drawing on the psychology of working theory (PWT), the present study was performed to evaluate the predictor session of the PWT and career exploration behavior with a sample of Chinese nursing college students from diverse backgrounds. The research employed a cross-sectional research design and 854 nursing students were recruited from one health vocational college situated in Northwest China. Structural equation modeling was utilized to conduct the analysis; confirmatory factor analysis and structural model testing were performed accordingly. Moreover, mediation analysis that used bias-corrected percentile bootstrapping method and moderation analysis were carried out in accordance. Overall, most of the proposed direct paths were significant, but the mediation results were mixed. Proactive personality simply moderated the impact of economic constraints on career adaptability. The results suggest that PWT is applicable to nursing college students and the model is generally supported in the Chinese context. It is the first empirical work that used this model among nursing college students and future decent work perceptions contributed another important antecedent of career exploration behavior. The practical implications based on these findings are provided as well.

Career Adaptability and Social Support of Vocational Students Leaving Upper Secondary School

This study used a sample of 3,028 vocational upper secondary Czech students to validate the measurement model of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale—Czech Form, assessing concern, control, curiosity, and confidence as the psychosocial resources for managing occupational transitions, developmental tasks, and work traumas. We moreover examined the associations of parental psychosocial support, parental instrumental support (action), teacher support, and peer support with the four components of career adaptability. As expected, social support provided by significant others was positively associated with career adaptability. Diverse sources of social support related differently to various career adaptability components. Career concern and confidence were associated simultaneously with parental psychosocial support, teacher support, and peer support while control was associated only with the parental and friend support and curiosity was associated with the social support from teachers and friends. Moreover, parental instrumental support did not show any significant link to career adaptability components.

Validation of the Career-Related Parental Support Scale (Chinese Version)

Our purpose in this study was to validate the existing Career-Related Parental Support Scale (CRPSS) for use with mainland Chinese students. We conducted two studies involving exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses with samples of more than 1,000 technical education students in China. Based on the data obtained, we retained 24 out of 27 items in the original scale. We identified a bifactor model for the CRPSS (Chinese version), with a general factor of career-related parental support and four specific group factors—instrumental assistance, career-related modeling, verbal encouragement, and emotional support. Ancillary bifactor measures yielded adequate evidence of the reliability of the entire scale and each of the four subscales. We also found measurement invariance across genders, as well as gender differences in the latent variable of emotional support. Concurrent and convergent validity were supported. Implications for the use of CRPSS (Chinese version) for research and practice are suggested.