Emotional intelligence and optimistic cognitive style in certainty in career decision making

The current study tested whether Trait Emotional Intelligence variables and Optimistic Cognitive Style together predicted feelings of certainty in career decision making. Few studies have examined the effects of trait emotional intelligence or life style orientation on career choice, and no study has been found that combined both the life orientation (optimism) and the trait emotional intelligence domains and facets: this current study examined the relative weights of these facets and lifestyle orientation in relation to career certainty. Participants were from a convenience sample of 142 university students who completed a paper-and-pencil survey containing the following measures: the Life Orientation Test-Revised (assessing optimism, the Trait Emotional Intelligence Scale (TEIQue), and the Career Decision Scale (CDS).It was found that optimism and the four main domains (of wellbeing, self-control, emotionality, and sociability) and several of the subscales of the TEIQue correlated significantly with career certainty. A unique significant predictor of Career Certainty was found to be Stability-Impulsivity (a facet in the Self-Control domain of the TEIQue) but optimism was not a factor in predicting career certainty when the stability-impulsiveness factor was accounted for. Self-control- stability (low impulsiveness) predicted career certainty. It would seem that stability in thinking and action helps career commitment (certainty). Implications are drawn for career development counselling and suggestions made for future research

Internal and External Barriers, Cognitive Style, and the Career Development Variables of Focus and Indecision

One hundred and thirty final year high school students were administered scales tapping optimism/pessimism, self-esteem, external career barriers, career decision-making self-efficacy, career focus and career indecision. It was hypothesised, first, that cognitive style (optimism/pessimism) would predict both internal (self-esteem) and external career-related barriers, second, that internal barriers would interact with external barriers and impact on career decision-making self-efficacy, and third, the previously mentioned variables would subsequently predict career focus and career indecision. Results demonstrated that cognitive style was influential in determining the perception of internal barriers (for females and males) and external barriers (females only). Internal and external barriers, along with optimistic/pessimistic cognitive style, were found to predict career decision-making self-efficacy (in males, but not in females). There was no evidence that internal and external barriers interacted to predict career decision-making self-efficacy. Last, it was found that career decision-making self-efficacy, internal and external barriers, and optimistic/pessimistic cognitive style were able to predict career focus (males and females) and career indecision (males only). Results are discussed in the context of Carver and Scheier’s (1981) control theory

Gender Differences for Optimism, Self-esteem, Expectations and Goals in Predicting Career Planning and Exploration in Adolescents

An Australian sample (N = 467) of high school students was administered scales tapping optimism, self-esteem, career expectations, career goals, career planning and career exploration. The study tested a career mediational model based on social cognitive career theory (SCCT) and cognitive-motivational-relational theory (CMR). It was hypothesised that the stable person inputs of optimism and self-esteem would predict career planning and career exploration through the variables of career expectations and career goals differentially for young males and females. For males, optimism and self-esteem influenced career expectations, sequentially predicting career goals, career planning and career exploration. A different pathway was identified for females, with optimism directly influencing career goals, which subsequently predicted career planning and career exploration. Self-esteem predicted career expectations, which then directly influenced career planning and career exploration by bypassing career goals. Results are discussed in the context of SCCT and CMR

Multidimensional Properties of the Lot-R: Effects of Optimism and Pessimism on Career and Wellbeing Related Variables in Adolescence

The Life Orientation Test–Revised (LOT-R), measures of career maturity, career decision-making, career goals, and well-being were administered to 504 high school students. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated bi-dimensionality rather than uni-dimensionality for the LOT-R, with the two factors of optimism and pessimism being largely unrelated. Those with high optimism reported high levels of career planning and exploration, were more confident about their career decisions, and had more career related goals. Those with high pessimism reported low levels of career and decision-making knowledge, were more career indecisive, and reported low levels of school achievement. For well-being, those with high levels of optimism reported high levels of self-esteem and low levels of psychological distress, whereas those with high levels of pessimism reported low levels of self-esteem and more psychological distress