Socioeconomic Status, Teacher-Student Interactions, and Career Development Among Chinese Adolescents: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study

• In Event: Socioeconomic Status and Its Impact on Children

Abstract

Based on three-wave longitudinal data on 1,410 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 15.26 years old, SD = 0.51; 52.4% girls), this study examined the mediating roles of teacher-student relationship quality and teachers’ career support efficacy in the associations between socioeconomic status (SES), and career adaptability and career ambivalence. SES at Wave 1 was positively associated with teacher-student relationship quality and teachers’ career support efficacy at Wave 2, which, in turn, were both negatively associated with career ambivalence at Wave 3. SES at Wave 1 also was associated positively with career adaptability at Wave 3 via teachers’ career support efficacy at Wave 2. This study highlighted the important role of teachers in adolescents’ career development. Implications for future studies are discussed.

Authors

• Haoran Meng, Beijing Normal University

• Nan Zhou, Beijing Normal University

• Hongjian Cao, Beijing Normal University