Career Self-Efficacy and Perceptions of Parent Support in Adolescent Career Development

"I will attend to college to give my family a better life": Indebtedness with the family and the challenges of building occupational plans for Peruvian adolescents

Identifying a future occupation is an important achievement during adolescence, a process particularly complex for Peruvian adolescents. Perú is a postcolonial country with many forms of inequality, and one of them is the opportunity gap to attend a college. However, most adolescents aspire to go to university as a way out of poverty, and, since Perú is a collectivist society, this is a family task: it is adolescents' responsibility to go to college in order to give a better life to their families. Theories developed for WEIRD societies (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic) do not provide an accurate explanation of Peruvian adolescents' occupational projects because they envision a person with autonomy and resources to choose a career. Thus, our goal is to analyze adolescents' occupational plans considering the role adolescent-caregivers relationships play in this configuration. This study is part of the project "Being an adolescent in Perú" (PUCP-UNICEF) which characterized Peruvian adolescence by studying 14 variables through a qualitative study with 66 participants. In depth interviews were conducted and the data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results of the thematic analysis are organized in three topics that explain the relationship between occupational plans and adolescent-caregiver relationship (1) adolescents have occupational aspirations rather than achievable projects that are that are built alone, without adult support; (2) attending college as an occupational aspiration belongs to the family, not to the individual operating also a kind of "debt" to pay to their caregivers for being financially supported to be able to study in high school; and (3) caregivers do not have the possibility or resources of being able to accompany their adolescent's occupational plans. We conclude that Peruvian adolescents think about their future within the framework of their family's needs, rather than linked to personal and occupational goals, impeding adolescents from exploring and selecting a realistic occupational goal consistent with their interests. The results allow us to discuss the relevance of studying adolescent development taking into account the particularities of the adolescents' cultural and socioeconomic contexts as well as the core role that relationship with caregivers plays in this process in Perú.

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.

Short Video Addiction on the Interaction of Creative Self-Efficacy and Career Interest to Innovative Design Profession Students

In recent years, a variety of emerging online media, such as TikTok, Kuaishou, YouTube and other short video application platforms, have appeared. The problem of short video addiction has become an issue to education experts and the general public, as students' excessive use of short video has become increasingly serious with many hidden concerns to the students' learning effectiveness. In addition, to meet the growing demand for innovative design talents worldwide, the Taiwan government has been committed to promoting policies related to the cultivation of innovative and creative talents nowadays, particularly for innovative design profession students who often use the Internet and short videos for learning. Therefore, the study aims to use questionnaires to understand the habits and addiction of the innovative design profession students in using short videos, and to further investigate the relation of short video addiction to the students' creative self-efficacy (CSE) and career interests. A total of 561 valid questionnaires were collected after eliminating invalid questionnaires and reliability analysis. Structural equation modeling and model validation were conducted afterwards. The results showed that short video addiction had a negative effect on CSE; CSE had a positive effect on career interests; and CSE had an indirect effect between short video addiction and career interests.

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.

Role of Family Acculturation Stress in Career Development Among Adolescents From Multicultural Families in Korea

Career indecision is a substantial challenge for multicultural adolescents in South Korea. This study investigated the role of acculturation stress in adolescents and their parents in multicultural families on career decisions in South Korea. Perceived career barriers by adolescents and career-related behaviors of their parents were included as mediators. Using national panel data from 1695 cases longitudinally collected over the 3 years, the mediation analysis was conducted. The results showed that acculturation stress experienced by both adolescents and parents negatively predicted the adolescents’ career decisions. In addition, a sequential mediation effect of parental career-related behaviors and adolescents’ career barriers was found in the relationship between parental acculturation stress and adolescents’ career decisions. These results highlight the importance of acculturative stress experienced by families, and not just by individuals, in understanding the career development of multicultural adolescents. The implications of this study’s findings are discussed.

The impact of career-related parental behaviors on career decision-making self-efficacy and ambivalence-A latent growth model

INTRODUCTION

The current study investigated the developmental trajectory of adolescents' career decision-making self-efficacy (self-efficacy) and ambivalence in career decision-making (ambivalence) as well as the longitudinal impact of career-related parental behaviors (parental behaviors) on self-efficacy and self-efficacy on ambivalence.

METHODS

We recruited 588 students from two elementary schools and three middle schools from city of Guangzhou, Province Guangdong in China. Participants were from Grade 4 to Grade 9 with an average age of 11.88 (SD = 1.63), 321 (54.6%) were male, and 9 (1.53%) were missing for gender. We applied a latent growth model using data from all three waves.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

After applying a latent growth model using data from all three waves, the results have indicated that self-efficacy decreased as these participants transitioned from childhood to early adolescence, and that their ambivalence fell on an increasing trajectory. Cross-sectionally, it indicated that "support" of parental behaviors was positively associated with self-efficacy, and "interference" of parental behaviors was positively associated with ambivalence. Longitudinally, "interference" of parental behaviors was negatively predicting the change rate of self-efficacy. A predictive relation did not exist between self-efficacy and ambivalence, such that a negative correlation was observed on a cross-sectional level. Implications and limitations are discussed as well.

Career Development in Highly Sex-typed Postsecondary Vocational Technical Education Programs: A Social Cognitive Analysis

Using social cognitive career theory (SCCT), we examined the career development of students in sex-typed postsecondary Vocational Technical Education (VTE) programs in the Chilean context. We assessed the moderating effects of students’ socioeconomic background, sex, membership to the sex-atypical group, and the intersection of these attributes across SCCT measures and the model’s predicted relationships. The results showed that students in sex-atypical careers, particularly low-income students, perceived supports and barriers differently, and that supports and barriers have different effects on self-efficacy and outcome beliefs. We also found differences between female and male students in these careers path, which suggests that the former face more challenges. However, we also found that their career development process unfolds similarly, suggesting that strategies designed to support these groups may be equally helpful for female and male students. We discuss the findings in light of prior literature and offer practical implications for VTE institutions.

The My Children’s Future Scale: Construct validity, measurement invariance, and reliability in a Turkish sample

The My Children’s Future Scale (MCFS) measures the support provided by parents for their children’s careers. The aim of this study was to adapt the MCFS to Turkish and examine its psychometric characteristics in a study conducted in the Turkish context. Participants consisted of 280 parents (190 mothers and 90 fathers). The factor structure of the MCFS and measurement invariance across parent gender were examined. The unidimensional factor structure was confirmed and the scale was invariant across parent gender. In addition, the reliability of the MCFS was assessed for internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega coefficients were calculated as .87, and test-retest reliability coefficient as .83. Our findings suggested that the Turkish form of the MCFS can be considered a valid and reliable data collection tool for use in Turkey to measure the support provided by parents for their children’s careers.

Student Perceptions of Environmental and Conservation (EC) Careers: Exploring Perspectives of Diverse University Students

We used a modified version of the social cognitive career theory to examine demographic characteristics and personal and contextual career influences relating to career behaviors. A survey of 478 undergraduates revealed neutral to positive perceptions of EC careers across demographic characteristics with some variation in perceptions based on academic level. Minorities were more likely to anticipate discrimination in their future careers and to report financial issues as career barriers. In general, students in EC fields were less likely to anticipate discrimination than those on other career paths. Results also highlighted minority underrepresentation in outdoor recreation activities, a factor associated with EC careers. Juniors and seniors reported higher EC related self-efficacy, but less positive outcome expectations than freshmen and sophomores. Awareness and understanding of factors that influence career behavior can help agencies and organizations better address equity and representation concerns.

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.

Gendered Career Choices: Paths Toward Studying a Degree in Physical Activity and Sport Science

Drawing on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), we examined factors affecting interest in pursuing a degree in Physical Activity and Sport Science (PASS) among Spanish teenage students. Although women were awarded 55.1% of all bachelor degrees in Spain in 2017–2018, female enrollment in PASS degrees is decreasing and currently stands below 20% across the country. To better understand the under-representation of women in this field, 4146 students (50.2% girls; mean age = 16.82 years; SD = 0.837) participated in a survey designed to measure a series of SCCT constructs: interest in studying a PASS degree, career outcome expectations, goal representations, and perceived social supports. With these data, we tested a set of path analysis models to explain gender differences in interest in studying a degree in PASS. These models tested the assumption that interest in PASS would mediate the paths from outcome expectations and social supports to goal representations. Model 1 assumed that interest would partially mediate the path from outcome expectations to goal representations, Model 2 assumed complete mediation, and Model 3 assumed absence of mediation. All models were tested separately for boys and girls. Our results provide information on how male and female students set personal goals based on expected career outcomes and show that this process is affected by gender stereotypes. The lack of interest by young women in studying a degree in PASS (only 7.8% of girls expressed this interest compared with 19.0% of boys), together with the gender differences observed in perceived social supports, outcome expectations, and goal representations, have several important theoretical and practical implications. The present research suggests that interventions that foster positive outcome expectations and social support are necessary to increase interest in studying PASS among teenage girls.

Career Self-Efficacy and Family Influence among Youth with Different Hearing Status

This study examined the career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) of deaf and typically hearing young adults and the contribution of career-related family support and expectations to this type of self-efficacy. Participants were 110 young adults: 50 deaf persons and 60 persons with typical hearing. They completed the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale and the Family Influence Scale. Study groups did not differ in their CDMSE. However, deaf participants reported lower levels of financial support and higher levels of family expectations compared to participants with typical hearing. An interaction was found between hearing status and family's financial status in participants' CDMSE, and family support and expectations significantly contributed to certain CDMSE factors only among the participants with typical hearing. Deaf participants who used only sign language reported lower levels of self-efficacy to gather career-related information compared to deaf participants who used only spoken language. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Mentoring and Job Search Behaviors: A Moderated Mediation Model of Job Search Self-Efficacy

Limited research exists around how to effectively enhance the job search behaviors and self-efficacy of job seekers during the job search process. In the current study, we investigated whether mentoring functions (i.e., career and psychosocial functions) are related to job search behaviors through job search self-efficacy. Moreover, we tested the interactive effects of career mentoring and psychosocial mentoring on job search self-efficacy and job search behaviors. Two-wave panel data were collected from 164 college students in China to test our hypotheses. The results indicated that psychosocial mentoring was related to job search behaviors both directly and indirectly through job search self-efficacy. In addition, our results revealed that the interactive effects of career mentoring and psychosocial mentoring on job search self-efficacy and on job search behaviors through job search self-efficacy were stronger when career and psychosocial mentoring were high. The implications of the study’s findings and directions for future research are offered.

SES, Gender, and STEM Career Interests, Goals, and Actions: A Test of SCCT

Using social cognitive career theory (SCCT), this study examined the role of socioeconomic status (SES) in an SCCT science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) model, with gender controlled for across the model. Results showed that higher SES covaried with lower perceived career barriers, and with greater mother, father, and peer support. In turn, higher SES also predicted greater outcome expectations but not self-efficacy. Efficacy predicted STEM career interests, choice goals, and choice actions (defined as intentions to take advanced math and science courses). Outcome expectations predicted interests but not goals or actions. Barriers, as well as, father and peer support, predicted efficacy, while mother support predicted outcome expectations. Results are discussed in light of the STEM career development among higher and lower SES adolescents.

Maternal and Paternal Resources across Childhood and Adolescence as Predictors of Young Adult Achievement

Family experiences have been linked to youth's achievements in childhood and adolescence, but we know less about their long term implications for educational and occupational achievements in young adulthood. Grounded in social capital theory and ecological frameworks, this study tested whether mothers' and fathers' education and occupation attainments, as well as the mean level and cross-time consistency of parental warmth during childhood and adolescence, predicted educational and occupational achievements in young adulthood. We also tested interactions between parental achievement and warmth in predicting these young adult outcomes. Data were collected from mothers, fathers, and firstborn and secondborn siblings in 164 families at up to 11 time points. Predictors came from the first nine annual points (youth age M = 10.52 at Time 1) and outcomes from when young adults averaged 26 years old (firstborns at Time 10, secondborns at Time 11). Results from multilevel models revealed that both mothers' and fathers' educational attainment and warmth consistency from childhood through adolescence predicted young adults' educational attainment. Fathers' occupational prestige predicted sons', but not daughters', prestige. An interaction between mothers' warmth consistency, occupational prestige, and youth gender revealed that, for sons whose mothers' prestige was low, warmth consistency positively predicted their prestige, but this association was nonsignificant when mothers' prestige was high. Conversely, for daughters with mothers high in prestige, warmth consistency was a trend level, positive predictor of daughters' prestige, but was nonsignificant when mothers' prestige was low. Thus, maternal resources appeared to have a cumulative impact on daughters, but the process for sons was compensatory. Discussion focuses on the role of family resources in the gender gap in young adult achievement.

Parent and Adolescent Perceptions of Adolescent Career Development Tasks and Vocational Identity

We surveyed Australian adolescents and parents to test differences and congruence in perceptions of adolescent career development tasks (career planning, exploration, certainty, and world-of-work knowledge) and vocational identity. We found that, for adolescents ( N = 415), career development tasks (not career exploration) explained 48% of the variance in vocational identity; for parents ( N = 415), this was 38% (not world-of-work knowledge). Parent perceptions of career development tasks did not explain additional variance in adolescent vocational identity. There were moderate correlations between adolescent and parent perceptions of career development tasks and vocational identity, suggesting meaningful, but not substantial, congruence of perceptions. The findings provide useful insights into the understanding of, and relationship between, parent and adolescent perceptions of adolescent career development tasks and vocational identity, which suggest avenues for interventions with adolescents and parents.

SCCT and Underrepresented Populations in STEM Fields

The authors review research that has used social cognitive career theory as a frame to investigate factors that may explain science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) choices and work decisions for women and racial–ethnic minorities, as well as barriers to their entry to STEM careers. The research is reviewed by age-groups. Most of this research has focused on factors associated with early choices (e.g., in high school and younger), but more recent work has focused on choices in college and in the workplace, particularly for women. The authors conclude with a critique and call for more research.

The Measurement of Career Interests among At-Risk Inner-City and Middle-Class Suburban Adolescents

This article examines the factor structure and underlying dimensions of Holland's occupational themes with inner-city, at-risk middle school adolescents and middle-class, suburban middle school adolescents. Both groups constructed the occupational world across the Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, and Social Holland themes similarly. However, there were differences in their construals of the relationships between occupations in the Enterprising and Social Themes. Subsequent means analyses indicated significant ethnic differences in medical science careers and within-group ethnic differences in working with hands, working outdoors, professional and fashion arts, social service, and medical service careers.

Reliability and Validity of Five-Level Response Continua for the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale

The present study, based on three samples of college students totaling 1,832 participants, resulted in the conclusion that a 5-level response continuum for the short form of the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale (CDSE)1 proved at least as reliable and valid as the 10-level continua used in normative studies. Values of coefficient alpha ranged from .78 to .87 for the 5-level continuum, in contrast to .69 to .83 for the 10-level continuum. Criterion-related validity correlations with career indecision and vocational identity were comparable for the two response continua. Validity with respect to the scales of the Career Decision Profile was examined, as was construct validity with respect to measures of hope, goal stability, and positive and negative affect. Overall, the study suggests the psychometric quality of the CDSE when 5-level response continua are used and adds to knowledge of the nomological network of the construct.1

Rural Appalachian Youth’s Vocational/Educational Postsecondary Aspirations

This study investigates the relationship between postsecondary aspirations and vocational/educational self-efficacy beliefs, outcome expectations, perceived educational barriers, and sources of support among a sample of rural Appalachian high school students. Using Social Cognitive Career Theory as the theoretical framework, vocational/educational aspirations are examined in terms of four specific postsecondary pathways common to rural Appalachian students (work, vocational technical, bachelor’s only, and professional). Results indicated vocational/educational self-efficacy beliefs, college outcome expectations, likelihood of encountering barriers to postsecondary education, and socioeconomic status contribute significantly to the discriminant function predicting the post-secondary pathways. This research extends previous work in this area by examining an understudied group, rural Appalachian adolescents. Implications of the results and suggestions for future research are provided.

The Reliability and Factor Structure of the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale-SF With African Americans

The present study, based on a sample of 220 African American college students, sought to examine the utility of the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale (CDSE) for African Americans. Values of coefficient alpha indicated reliability similar to that found in predominantly White samples. A four-factor structure best represented the data, with a large first factor emphasizing information gathering and decision making. However, the factor structure could also be interpreted relative to time orientation, from most immediate tasks (“choose a major") to those further away temporally (“choosing a career," “interviewing for a job," and “changing jobs if needed"). The students studied herein reported higher levels of career decision self-efficacy than found in previous samples, but cautions in interpreting this finding are suggested. Overall, more research on both measuring career decision self-efficacy and providing career decision interventions within African American samples is recommended.

Perceived Barriers and Postsecondary Plans in Mexican American and White Adolescents

The authors examined perceived internal and external barriers to postsecondary educational plans among 140 Mexican American and 296 White high school students, attending to sex, socioeconomic, ethnic differences. Parent education was associated with educational plans. Girls anticipated encountering more barriers associated with financing postsecondary education than their male counterparts. Mexican American students anticipated encountering more postsecondary education barriers associated with ability, preparation, motivation, support, and separation, and expected those barriers to be more difficult to overcome, than their White counterparts. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Testing a Model of Nontraditional Career Choice Goals With Mexican American Adolescent Men

This study examined the nontraditional career choice goals of 302 Mexican American adolescent men using an extended version of Lent, Brown, and Hackett’s (1994) career choice model. It was hypothesized that several background contextual variables (e.g., acculturation level, parental support, perceived occupational gender barriers) would predict nontraditional career self-efficacy. Nontraditional career self-efficacy was hypothesized to predict nontraditional career interests, and both nontraditional career self-efficacy and nontraditional career interests would predict nontraditional career choice goals. Results supported a modified path model. Mexican American adolescent men’s nontraditional career self-efficacy was predicted by acculturation level and parental support. Additionally, nontraditional career self-efficacy predicted nontraditional career interests, and expressed choice of nontraditional careers was predicted by nontraditional career interests and father’s career nontraditionality. Implications to career counseling with Mexican American adolescent men are discussed.

Native American Adolescent Career Development

Within the framework of Social Cognitive Career (SCCT; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994, 2000), this study examined the associations among career interests, career efficacy expectations, gender, and perceived parent support among Native American and Caucasian middle school adolescents. Consistent with previous research, results indicated that Native American young people had greater interests in Realistic and Conventional occupations, and in occupations that typically require a high-school diploma, a trade school certificate, or 2 years of post high-school education. However, contrary to previous findings, they had as great a range of interests in and self-efficacy expectations for Investigative, Artistic, Social, and Enterprising occupations as Caucasian adolescents, and similarly high levels of interests, efficacy, and perceived parent support for careers typically requiring 4 or more years of post-high school education.

Examining Contextual Factors in the Career Decision Status of African American Adolescents

This study examined the extent to which perceived occupational barriers and perceived parental support predicted career certainty and career indecision in a sample of African American adolescents. Perceived occupational barriers were positively predictive of career indecision, and perceived parental support was positively associated with career certainty. The results provided support for the importance of considering contextual variables, such as perceived occupational barriers and perceived parental support, in the career decision-making processes of African American adolescents. The results also highlighted the salience of social cognitive career theory in conceptualizing career-related issues in African American high school students. Future research directions are discussed.

Outcome Expectations: Looking to the Past and Potential Future

This article focuses on the construct of outcome expectations. It is argued that the construct has received relatively little attention in the vocational literature. The authors define outcome expectations, trace the precursors to the construct, provide a critique of the operationalization of the construct, and propose recommendations for future research.

Are Success Learning Experiences and Self-Efficacy Beliefs Associated With Occupational Interests and Aspirations of At-Risk Urban Youth?

To help increase access to educational and occupational options for a growing yet underrepresented population of low-income, culturally diverse, urban middle school students, we need to increase our understanding of important factors in their career development. The results of this study supported some applications of Krumboltz’s social learning theory to at-risk urban youth and found (a) a significant and positive association between participants’ success learning experiences and their expressed occupational interests, and (b) a positive association between their career self-efficacy beliefs and inventoried occupational interests. However, no association was found between participants’ success learning experiences and their highest or most ideal occupational aspirations. Further research with methods and measures that are reliable and validated with this population is needed to replicate the results of this study. In turn, career counselors might use this understanding to better design effective interventions for at-risk diverse urban youth.

The Influences of the Family of Origin on Career Development

Based on a developmental contextual perspective advocated by Vondracek, Lerner, and Schulenberg, this article provides a comprehensive review of the research published since 1980related to family of origin influences on career developmentandoccupational choice. Because individuals are most likely to seek assistance with career decisions from family members, it is important that counseling psychologists understand how families can have a positive influence and facilitate career development. Influential family contextual factors are identified within four developmentallevels (i.e., children, adolescents, college students/young adults, and adults). Across the lifespan, both family structure variables (e.g., parents’ occupations) and family process variables (e.g., warmth, support, attachment, autonomy) were found to influence a host of career constructs; however, the process by which families influence career development is complex and is affected by many contextual factors such as race, gender, and age. Based on this comprehensivereview, implicationsfor counselingresearch andpracticeare discussed.

Financial Stress and Work Hope Beliefs Among Adolescents

This study investigated the relationship of perceived financial stress and strain within the family with work hope beliefs among 119 adolescents in the United States. As expected, higher levels of perceived financial stress and strain related to lowered work hope. Using a test of moderation, we explored how this relationship was influenced by adolescents’ perceptions of support for educational success from their primary caregiver. Results indicated that caregiver support for educational success moderated the relationship between perceived financial stress and strain and work hope such that the negative relationship between financial stress and strain was strengthened among those who reported heightened perceived caregiver support for educational success. Limitations and implications for research and practice are discussed.

Parental Support, Critical Consciousness, and Agency in Career Decision Making for Urban Students

By investigating parental support as a distal variable and critical consciousness (CC) as a proximal variable, the authors targeted specific factors that may increase the perception of agency and, ultimately, motivated choice behavior in 11th and 12th graders ( N = 137) in an urban high school. The current study adds to the base of support for social cognitive career theory (SCCT) with diverse populations. However, parental support—which served as a sample/age-relevant proxy for learning experiences and distal supports—was only shown to significantly predict variance in outcome expectations (OEs), not self-efficacy. The final regression model included emotional support, OEs, CC, and CC as a moderator and explained 41.2% of the variance in intentions, with the interaction between CC and OEs contributing a significant 2.6% additional variance. Interestingly, CC lessened the positive effect of high OEs on intentions. The authors contextualize the results within the relevant research bases and discuss implications for future research and practice.

Career unreadiness in relation to anxiety and authoritarian parenting among undergraduates

Career unreadiness, covering career indecision and career myth, is an issue for universities to address. Supposedly, career unreadiness is responsible for the university student's anxiety and partly results from authoritarian parenting during the student's childhood. This is an uncharted concern for this study to clarify. The study surveyed 229 undergraduates in two universities in Hong Kong, China. It employed structural equation modelling to clarify nexuses among career unreadiness, authoritarian parenting and anxiety, after minimising their measurement errors. Career unreadiness mediated the negative effect of authoritarian parenting on anxiety. Nevertheless, authoritarian parenting still maintained a negative direct effect on anxiety, after controlling for career unreadiness. The findings imply that reducing undergraduates' career unreadiness is justifiable to prevent their anxiety. Such a reduction would benefit from neutralising the demands of authoritarian parenting. More fundamentally, diverting authoritarian parenting is advisable.