The Associations Between Career Decision-Making Difficulties and Negative Emotional States

Abstract

Career decision-making difficulties are the challenges encountered by individuals before, during, or after choosing one’s career. This study tested the associations between career decision-making difficulties and depression, anxiety, and stress, considering the career decision status of participants. Students in a precollege preparatory program filled out questionnaires at the beginning and near the end of the academic year ( N = 137). The correlations between career decision-making difficulties, as measured by the Career Decision-Making Difficulties, and negative emotional states measured by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales, were positive at both administrations ( r T1 = .24, r T2 = .38). Using a multivariate analysis of variance, we have found that those who became more decided had fewer career decision-making difficulties ( d = 1.26). The changes in career decision status were not associated with either depression, anxiety, or stress. However, overall negative emotions intensified among students who were still undecided at the end of the year ( d = 0.72). Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Longitudinal invariance and information of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales

“…The scores on all DASS-21 scales increased between administrations: t(132) = 4.02, p < .001, d = .35 for Depression; t(132) = 3.88, p < .001, d = .35 for Stress; though not significantly on the Anxiety scale, t(132) = 1.77, p = .08, d = .16. The increase in DASS-21 scores was attributed to end-of-semester stress by Anghel and Gati (2019). The correlations between the scale scores at the two administrations were moderate to low: Depression (r = .38, p < .001), Anxiety (r = .32, p < .001), and Stress (r = .43, p < .001).…”

“…The data were collected as a part of a larger study (Anghel & Gati, 2019). The participants were students in a precollege preparatory program at a research university in Israel.…”

“…1 As this study's data were collected as a part of a larger study, the participants also filled out other questionnaires regarding their career decision-making process (the Range of Considered Alternatives, Gati, Kleiman, Saka, & Zakai, 2003;and the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire, Gati, Krausz, & Osipow, 1996). These questionnaires and the DASS-21 were presented to the participants in random order; no order effects were found, as reported by Anghel and Gati (2019). Clin.…”

Effect of Career Days on High School Students’ Irrational Beliefs about Career Choice and on Decision Making Skills about Career

“…It is thought that providing realistic information about the career by the field employees on career days is effective in achieving this result. It is known that students' irrational beliefs play an important role in their (Anghel & Gati, 2019;Bullock-Yowell, McConnell, & Schedin, 2014). One of the goals of career counseling is to identify irrational beliefs that are effective factors on career development and choices, and to rearrange these beliefs.…”

“…Due to irrational beliefs, students' professional expectations can be negatively affected, leading to an unsuccessful and disappointing occupation selection process. This situation may prevent them from reaching their ideal professions (Anghel & Gati, 2019;Bullock-Yowell, Mcconnel, & Schedin, 2014;Işık, 2013). For this reason, it is necessary to identify irrational beliefs that may prevent healthy profession selection and to replace them with rational beliefs in high school (Kırdök, 2010;Yılmaz-Erdem & Bilge, 2008).…”