Planned Happenstance Skills, Emotional Intelligence and Career Decision Self-Efficacy in Gifted High School Students

Abstract

Previous research has found that in career selection process, an individuals level of confidence in conducting career-related tasks can be predicted from their level of planned happenstance skills. However, gifted students have special characteristics related to their emotional abilities. This study quantitatively investigated the moderating effect of emotional intelligence on the relationship between planned happenstance skills and career decision self-efficacy in gifted students. The respondents were 165 gifted high school students studying in Jakarta. The variables were measured using a research questionnaire that included the scales of Planned Happenstance Career Inventory, Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short Form, and Career Decision Self-Efficacy Short Form, adapted to the Indonesian context. The data were analysed using PROCESS macros program from Hayes that contained in SPSS. The results showed no moderating effect of emotional intelligence on the relationship between planned happenstance skills and career decision self-efficacy in the gifted students (b3 = ?0.06, t = ?0.67, p = 0.49). The limitations of the study and suggestion for future research are discussed.