The impact of social support on career decision-making difficulties: The serial mediating roles of career decision-making self-efficacy and job search clarity, and moderation by proactive personality

Rong Chen, Qin Zhang and Yunfei Cao

PLOS ONE, 2026, vol. 21, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: Career decision-making difficulties are a common challenge for college students, which can hinder their transition from education to employment. Based on the Social Cognitive Model of Career Self-Management, this study explored how social support was related to career decision-making difficulties. A total of 991 vocational college students participated in this cross-sectional quantitative study. Social support was measured through the Perceived Social Support Scale, career decision-making self-efficacy with the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, job search clarity via the Job Search Clarity Questionnaire, career decision-making difficulties using the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire, and proactive personality by the Proactive Personality Scale. The results showed that: Job search clarity partially mediates the relationship between social support and career decision-making difficulties. The indirect effect was significant, β = −0.08, p

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0344515

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0344515

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