Discovering the interplay between situational and dispositional factors leading to career decidedness

A lifelong learning perspective to the development of individuals needs to rely on a dynamic educational environment, able to support multiple career pathways. Accordingly, educational settings need to possess the knowledge to design effective career counseling programs to allow institutional permeability and options to move horizontally to different educational streams. Drawing on social cognitive career theory, this contribution explores how career decidedness (CD) of 798 students from different educational streams is affected by optimism, facilitating conditions for school motivations (FCSM), and career decision-making self-efficacy (CDSE). Results showed that career decision-making self-efficacy partially mediates the relationship between FCSM and CD. Interestingly, whilst the direct effect of FCSM on CD is negative, the relationship linking FCSM to CDSE, as well as that linking CDSE and CD, is positive. This study provides important insights about the factors to be considered when designing career-counseling programs able to support dynamic career pathways.