Exploring the Roles of Career Adaptability, Self-Esteem, and Work Values in Life Satisfaction Among Emerging Adults During their Career Transition

Abstract

The present study examined the relationships of career adaptability and self-esteem with life satisfaction among emerging adults and the mediating effect of work values on these relationships. Five hundred and twelve emerging adults between the ages of 18 and 25 who graduated from vocational education and training were enrolled. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing study variables during their career transition: 2 months before (T1) and 10 months after graduation (T2). The results confirmed a direct and positive effect of self-esteem (T1) on life satisfaction (T2). However, career adaptability (T1) was not directly related to life satisfaction (T2). Additionally, work values (T2) served as a significant mediator between career adaptability (T1) and life satisfaction (T2). The study showed that mastery work values mediated this relationship. These results suggest that potential interventions should focus on increasing career adaptability and self-esteem and on strengthening intrinsic work values to improve emerging adults’ subjective well-being.

The impact of technology readiness and adapting behaviours in the workplace: a mediating effect of career adaptability

“…We examined convergent and discriminant validity. Convergent validity evaluates how indicators measure a common component, while discriminant validity evaluates how scales measure different constructs in a model [48]. AVE, standardised factor loadings, MSV, square root of AVE, HTMT, and ASV were used to assess validity.…”

“…Some authors [48] argued that the Fornell-Larcker measurement for discriminant validity was unsuitable for slightly different indicator loadings, and therefore a more rigorous method has been proposed known as the heterotrait-monotrait ratio (HTMT). Discriminant validity fails if HTMT values exceed 0.9.…”

Adaptation and validation of the university-to-work success scale among Chinese university graduates

“…Career adaptability, by its definition, refers to individuals’ psychosocial resources to cope with anticipated and real career transitions ( Savickas, 2005 ). Career adaptability has been shown to predict various indicators of the university to work transition success, including job search self-efficacy, employment status ( Guan et al, 2014 ), employment quality ( Koen et al, 2012 ), and life satisfaction ( Hlaďo et al, 2022 ). Career adaptability score should therefore be positively related to UWSS score.…”

Mediating Role of Satisfaction with Life in the Effect of Self-Esteem and Education on Social Media Addiction in Turkey

“…According to studies on social media use, the increase in satisfaction with life negatively affects individuals' social media addictions [9,[43][44][45][46]. Therefore, both self-esteem and high education enable individuals to communicate better with other people, support them to aim better in their careers, increase their satisfaction with life by reducing their spare time, and ultimately reduce their social media addiction [47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55]. The following hypotheses were established based on the literature:…”