Effects of personal growth initiative on occupational engagement of college students in the uncertain social context: A cross-lagged model and a moderated mediation model

Abstract

In recent years, the international social context has become increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous (VUCA), and college students need a high level of long-term occupational engagement to cope with the unpredictability of the current employment environment. In this context, this study used a longitudinal design to explore the relationship between personal growth initiative and occupational engagement among college students and, based on this, further explored the role of vocational identity and Big Five personality traits in it. This study used a questionnaire survey method and the study participants were 700 college students in Shandong, China. And the time interval between the two questionnaire measurements was 4 months, with 559 final valid participants (182 males and 377 females). The following results were found in this study: (1) The cross-lagged model found that personal growth initiative was a significant positive predictor of occupational engagement. (2) The moderated mediation model found that vocational identity mediated the relationship between personal growth initiative and occupational engagement, and that neuroticism among the Big Five personality traits played a moderating role, i.e., individuals with higher level of neuroticism personality trait had a relatively weaker positive predictive effect of vocational identity on occupational engagement. This study concludes that colleges and universities need to understand students’ interests and personality traits and provide more targeted career education (e.g., intentional growth training and cognitive behavioral therapy) to promote their personal growth initiatives, reduce their neuroticism levels and in turn enhance their vocational identity in order to help college students achieve long-term sustainable occupational engagement in the uncertain social context.

Estrategias educativas y de liderazgo para afrontar el nuevo escenario europeo VUCA

“…On the students hand, the VUCA scenario has generated a climate of insecurity where students need a high level of long-term work commitment. Schools must also be aware of students' interests and personality traits, and their interest in connecting with the security of the professional world in the long term (Gong et al, 2022).…”

Parental corporal punishment and adolescent drinking: the protective role of personal growth initiative and gender difference

“…However, while PGI has been extensively studied in the context of college and adult vocational development (Gong et al, 2022) et al, 2016). Taken together, individuals with high levels of PGI are more likely to report positive psychological states and actively engage in life, and as such, may be less prone to problematic drinking, even when faced with victimization (Chen et al, 2020).…”

“…However, while PGI has been extensively studied in the context of college and adult vocational development ( Gong et al, 2022 ), its potential role in the context of peer victimization and adolescent drinking behavior has not been thoroughly investigated. Nevertheless, there is indirect evidence to suggest that high levels of PGI may act as a protective factor against adolescent drinking.…”