The Relationships between Objective Socioeconomic Status, Economic Hardship, Subjective Socioeconomic Status, and Career Outcome Expectations: Examining the Mediating Effects of Career Decision-Making Learning Experiences and Career Decision-Making S

This study, grounded in Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), aims to examine the roles of career decision-making learning experiences and career decision-making self-efficacy in mediating the relationships between both objective and subjective socioeconomic status, economic hardship, and career outcome expectations among university students. A sample of 255 students from various four-year universities across South Korea participated in this research. The results from structural equation modeling(SEM) indicate that the final model demonstrated a good fit to the data, explaining approximately 73% of the variance in career outcome expectations. The analysis of direct paths revealed significant effects for all hypothesized pathways. Furthermore, the study found that subjective socioeconomic status, career decision-making learning experiences, and career decision-making self-efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between objective socioeconomic status and career outcome expectations. Similarly, these variables also mediated the relationship between economic hardship and career outcome expectations. This research contributes to the literature by highlighting the importance of socioeconomic factors and career decision-making processes in shaping career expectations. Additionally, it underscores the relevance of subjective socioeconomic status and career-related learning experiences in career counseling interventions. The study concludes with recommendations for future research, suggesting the need for a more diverse sample and the inclusion of longitudinal studies to further explore these relationships.