Applied Research in Consulting

The Mediating Role of Career Adaptability in the Relationship between Positive Parenting Schemas and Tolerance of Career Decision Ambiguity in Emerging Adults

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Zahra Akhlamadi 1
Mahdi Akbarzadeh 2

1 MS of Clinical Psychology, Islamic Azad University-Branch of Neyshabu

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling and Psychology, Islamic Azad University- Branch of Neyshabur

Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of career adaptability in the relationship between positive parenting schemas and tolerance of ambiguity in career decision-making. A convenience sample of 327 individuals (201 women and 126 men) aged 18 to 26 from Neyshabur city completed online questionnaires, including a demographics questionnaire, the short form of the Career Adaptability Scale (Sou et al., 2021), the Career Decision Ambiguity Tolerance Scale (Xu and Tracy, 2015), and the Positive Parenting Schema Questionnaire (Louis et al., 2018). The results of Pearson's correlation coefficients utilizing SPSS26 showed a positive and significant relationship between parenting schemas with career adaptability (r(325)= .41; p< .001) and career decision ambiguity tolerance (r(325)= .43; p< .001), as well as a positive relationship between career adaptability and career decision ambiguity tolerance (r(325)= .52; p< .001). The results of variance-based structural equation modeling using bootstrapped confidence intervals (with AMOS24) showed that from the total effect of positive parenting schemas on the tolerance of ambiguity in career decision-making (β= .53, 95%CI [.39, .65], p< .001), career adaptability can mediate more than half of this effect (β= .27, 95%CI [ .18, .39], p< .001). These findings demonstrate that over half of the impact of parents' positive performance in meeting their children's basic emotional needs on their tolerance amidst the complexities and ambiguities of career decision-making is attributed to the development of psycho-social abilities that enhance their self-regulation when faced with various career challenges.

Keywords

Career Adaptability
Career Decision Ambiguity Tolerance
Correlational Studies
Positive Parenting Schemas
Mediation models
 
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