Mediating Effects of Psychological Independence and Self-Efficacy on Association bewtween Parental Attachment and Career Maturity in Male and Female College Students

Abstract

In this study, we determined the effect of parental attachment on college students’ career maturity and the mediating effects of psychological independence and self-efficacy. Five hundred and seventy-seven college students from Daegu and Gyeongsan cities were included in the study. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, structural equational models, and Sobel test, using SPSS software ver. 18.0 and Amos software ver. 18.0.BR Firstly, the results indicated that parental attachment had no significant effect on career maturity. Second, psychological independence and self-efficacy mediated the negative association between parental attachment and career maturity. Additionally, male and female college students showed significant differences in the relationship between parental attachment and career maturity; psychological independence of male college students showed a greater influence, as compared to female college students; whereas, female college student’s self-efficacy showed a greater influence, as compared to male college students. The findings of the study suggested that interventions for psychological independence and self-efficacy are important to improve male and female college students’ career maturity; in addition, gender should be considered to better understand career maturity.