Career construction model of adaptation: an empirical study among university students in Türkiye

Abstract

Grounded in the Career Construction Model of Adaptation (CCMA), this study examined the direct and indirect associations among self-esteem, cognitive flexibility, general self-efficacy, career adaptability, career choice status (whether students chose their current department willingly), and academic satisfaction among university students in Türkiye. Particular attention was given to the joint associations of these personal resources with career adaptability and to career choice status as a potential link between adaptability and academic satisfaction. Cross-sectional data from 485 students at a public university were analyzed. An observed-variable structural equation model was estimated using unweighted least squares with 482 complete records, and uncertainty was assessed using 5,000 participant-level bootstrap resamples. Binary and ordinal logistic models were used as sensitivity analyses for the categorical outcomes. Self-esteem and cognitive flexibility were positively associated with general self-efficacy and career adaptability. The model accounted for 59.8% of the variance in career adaptability and 28.3% in academic satisfaction. Career adaptability was positively associated with career choice status, whereas the direct association between general self-efficacy and career choice status was not statistically significant. Both career adaptability and career choice status were positively associated with academic satisfaction. Bootstrap confidence intervals supported indirect associations of self-esteem and cognitive flexibility with career adaptability through general self-efficacy, of general self-efficacy with career choice status through career adaptability, and of career adaptability with academic satisfaction through career choice status. Sensitivity analyses showed consistent patterns for the corresponding direct associations. These findings provide evidence relevant to the CCMA by considering distinct personal resources and career choice status within an integrated model. However, the cross-sectional design and single-item measures of career choice status and academic satisfaction limit conclusions about developmental processes and causal mediation. The findings identify potential areas for further investigation and university career support.