The Impact of Perceived Barriers to Career Advancement: A Study with a Sample of Italian University Students

Mara Marini (), Stefano Livi, Laura Prislei, Chiara Parisse, Alessandra Cecalupo, Federica Scarci and Guido Benvenuto
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Mara Marini: Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Stefano Livi: Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Laura Prislei: Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Chiara Parisse: Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Alessandra Cecalupo: Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Federica Scarci: Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Guido Benvenuto: Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 11, 1-22

Abstract: The goals established by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the new needs that globalization has created, have prompted researchers to examine young people’s educational and professional experiences in the context of economic and social disadvantages, considering agency capacities and psychological factors. Following these research interests, this study aimed to evaluate Italian university students’ perceptions of socioeconomic barriers to achieving professional goals and the effects of these perceived barriers on some indicators of adaptation. The study included 401 Italian university students ( M = 24.18, SD = 3.33). The results demonstrated that economic constraints can be a psychological barrier to career advancement by negatively influencing the perception of being able to actively choose one’s professional future and by diminishing the psychological resources required to adapt to complex environments. In turn, this can indirectly affect the perceived gap between a person’s career goals and their progress toward achieving them, thereby impeding their adaptation processes. The implications of the research are discussed.

Keywords: economic constraints; perceived barriers; career adaptability; work volition; career goals; vocational guidance; career counseling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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