A latent profile analysis linking career learning experience profile to career decision‐making difficulties

Abstract

AbstractAlthough both theoretical and empirical studies have revealed the impact of career learning experiences on career decision‐making, most studies have ignored the interwind relationships between different career learning experiences. Thus, the present study employed a person‐centered approach to explore the different latent profiles of the career learning experiences that arise among Chinese college students and to examine how these profiles are related to career decision‐making difficulties. A sample of 1737 college students (72.7% females) completed the Chinese version of the Career Exploration and Decision Learning Experiences (CEDLE‐C) and Career Decision‐making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ). Four career learning experience profiles were identified: the multi‐source profile (5%, 79) characterized by high levels of personal mastery experience (PME), verbal persuasion (VP), vicarious learning (VL), and positive emotion (PE) and very low level of negative emotion (NE), the high‐mid‐source profile (42%, 723) characterized by these experiences slightly above mean levels, the mid‐source profile (45%, 789) characterized by mean levels of these experiences, and the unconfident profile (8%, 146) characterized by very low levels of PME, VP, VL, PE, and high level of NE. These four profiles differed in career decision‐making difficulties. Students in the unconfident profile experienced the most career decision‐making difficulties. The implications of these findings for further research and practices are discussed.