Examining Longitudinal Relationships Between Dysfunctional Career Thoughts and Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy in School-to-Work Transition

This study used a person-centered approach to investigate university students’ profiles of career adaptability and determine whether different combinations of concern, control, curiosity, and confidence could be identified. We also explored the relations of these profiles with emotional intelligence, anticipatory emotions, and career decision-making self-efficacy. We found six distinct profiles of career adaptability among 307 university students who differed both on their level and on shape. Emotional intelligence was associated with profiles displaying higher levels of career adaptability. Furthermore, profiles of career adaptability significantly displayed differences in terms of positive anticipatory emotions at the prospect of the school-to-work transition and career decision-making self-efficacy but not in terms of negative anticipatory emotions. These results highlight that differentiating profiles of career adaptability provide insights for the design and the implementation of career-related interventions among university students.

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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NEGATIVE CAREER THOUGHTS AND SELF-EFFICACY WITH CAREER DECISION-MAKING DIFFICULTIES AMONG FIRST YEAR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF UPM

International Journal of Modern Trends in Social Sciences ◽

10.35631/ijmtss.3140013 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (14) ◽

pp. 162-172

Author(s):

Nur Azreen Md Sanusi ◽

Zanariah Ismail

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Career Decision ◽

First Year ◽

Career Decision Making ◽

Career Thoughts ◽

Inconsistent Information ◽

Negative Career Thoughts ◽

Lack Of Information

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between negative career thoughts and self-efficacy with career decision-making difficulties among first-year undergraduate students of UPM. The sample for this study consisted of 368 first-year undergraduate students of UPM and participants were recruited using stratified random sampling. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information. Career Thoughts Inventory was utilized in this study to measure negative career thoughts. General Self-efficacy Scale was utilized to measure self-efficacy. Other than that, the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire was utilized to measure career decision-making difficulties. The results revealed that most of the respondents had a high level of self-efficacy (62.2%). Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated that there was a positive significant relationship between negative career thoughts (decision-making confusion) and career decision-making difficulties (lack of information; r = 0.595, p < 0.01 and inconsistent information; r = 0.579, p < 0.01). Besides, there was also a significant positive relationship between negative career thoughts (commitment anxiety) and career decision-making difficulties (lack of information; r = 0.588, p < 0.01 and inconsistent information; r = 0.572, p < 0.01). In addition, there was a significant negative relationship between self-efficacy and career decision-making difficulties (lack of information; r = -0.388, p < 0.01, inconsistent information; r = -0.298, p < 0.01). Therefore, the findings of this study concluded that negative career thoughts and self-efficacy are important to understand the patterns of difficulties in career decision-making among first-year undergraduate students of UPM. Furthermore, further research could be expanded in different academic institutions in another region with a bigger sample to promote a better generalization of findings and yield more reliable data.

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