The Influence of Career Construction Theory on College Students’ Career Decision-Making Difficulties and Gender Differences

This study investigates the causal relationship between proactive personality, career flexibility, career exploration, and challenges in professional decision-making while considering the contextual factor of gender within the framework of Career Construction Theory. A survey was conducted using a questionnaire administered to a total of 726 students from three institutions in Jiangxi Province, China. Structural equation modeling analysis yielded the following results: 1. Proactive personality negatively affects difficulties in career decision-making. 2. Proactive personality impacts career decision-making challenges through its influence on career adaptability. 3. A proactive personality affects career decision-making difficulties by shaping career exploration. 4. Proactive personality influences career decision-making challenges through the sequential mediation of career adaptability and career exploration. 5. Gender differences are evident within the career construction model, resulting in variations in its constituent elements. These findings contribute to the advancement of Career Construction Theory in higher education and guide college students in their career-planning endeavors. Received: 1 August 2024 / Accepted: 31 October 2024 / Published: 05 November 2024