Personal and Social Contextual Influences on Career Decision-Making Difficulties of Chinese High School Adolescents

• In Event: 14.046 - Poster Session 1
  In Poster Session: 14.046-7 - Factors Influencing High School and Postsecondary Vocational and Career Choices

Abstract

This study examined the contributions of social contextual variables (i.e., gender, age, grade level, socioeconomic status) and personal-level variables (interest-related and competency-related variables) to career decision-making difficulties of 3,318 Chinese High school adolescents in Hong Kong (1,841 males and 1,477 females; a mean age of 17.45 years, S.D = .92). The results of the regression analyses indicated that both social-contextual variables and personal-level variables are predictive of career decision-making difficulties, whereas the effects of personal-level variables were stronger than that of social-contextual variables. A practical implication for career counseling and guidance is that specialized forms of intervention among groups of different social contextual characteristics are necessary.

Authors

• Alvin Seung-Ming Leung, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Tsz Lok Trevor Lee, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Grace Y.L. Cheng, The Chinese University of Hong Kong