Parenting styles have always been a crucial factor in influencing all aspects of a person's development. The purpose of this study is to test the structural equation model of academic achievement among the students using parenting styles as a moderator. The sample comprised 493 students from eight schools. Parenting styles are determined using the Parental Authority Questionnaire (Buri in J Pers Assess 57:110-119, 1991). Academic achievement is measured based on the students' performance in the Lower Secondary Assessment. Data were analyzed using structural equation modelling. Results demonstrated that model of authoritative and model of authoritarian fit the data of this study well. Both authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles are the most common practice of the parents. Parenting styles have been found to be a moderator of this study. The results indicated that parenting styles moderated the effect of academic self-concept on academic achievement. The impact of academic self-concept on academic achievement is found to be greater for the authoritative than the authoritarian parenting style.

This study investigated the effects of a career exploration intervention (CEI) on career maturity and self-concept among Malaysian high school students, using a true experimental design (pretest–posttest with a control group). One hundred thirty-nine high school students in Malaysia were recruited and randomly assigned to receive either a CEI or no intervention. Multivariate analyses of covariance showed significant differences in career maturity and self-concept between the experimental and control groups. Career maturity and self-concept were enhanced immediately after the CEI, and the effects were retained after 4 weeks. Students’ evaluation and feedback on the intervention were also collected. Research and practice implications are discussed.

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The current study examined the relations among self-concept, career calling, resilience, and work readiness in a Malaysian sample of vocational college students ( N = 674). As hypothesized, self-concept was positively associated with work readiness. To explain this relation further, we examined the indirect effect of self-concept through calling and resilience on work readiness. Using structural equation modeling, both career calling and resilience were found to be significant avenues through which self-concept influences work readiness. Results of the indirect effects also indicated that resilience was a stronger pathway compared to career calling. These results suggest that for vocational college students, a more crystallized self-concept may link to greater work readiness skills due, in part, to a heightened sense of resilience and clarity in one’s career calling.