The Link between Socioeconomic Status and Career Adaptability among Korean Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Parental Career-Related Support

Abstract

Parental career-related support plays a crucial role in facilitating adolescents' career development, yet relatively little is known about its mediating role in Korean adolescents' career development. Using a sample of 581 Korean high school students, this study examined the role of parental career-related support in the link between socioeconomic status (SES) and adolescents' career adaptability. Results indicated that adolescents with high SES were more likely to have a high level of parental career-related support and a high level of career adaptability resources, and parental career-related support was significantly associated with career adaptability resources. Although curiosity and confidence were only significantly related to SES, parental career-related support was more likely to affect concern than other resources of career adaptability. The mediation models also supported the claim that adolescents from high SES families are more likely to perceive a higher degree of parental career-related support and the more they perceive such supports, the greater the level of career adaptability. These results suggest the need for parents and schools to facilitate career-related support for adolescents.