Self-esteem and career adaptability: Moderating roles of parental and peer support

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the long-term associations between self-esteem and career adaptability and to investigate the moderating roles of parental and peer support in these associations. The two-wave longitudinal study used a sample of 3126 graduates from vocational upper secondary education during their career transition. Questionnaires were administered at two time points: 2 months before graduation (T1) and 10 months after graduation (T2). The results of linear regression and moderation analysis showed that (1) self-esteem had a longitudinal positive effect on career adaptability, (2) perceived parental and peer support did not have significant effects on career adaptability, and (3) peer support served as a moderator in the relationship between self-esteem and career adaptability. The findings emphasize the psychosocial nature of career adaptability and highlight the role of perceived peer support in the career adaptability of vocational education graduates during their career transition.