Tolerance to uncertainty as a factor in the development of higher education students’ professional identity

Background: The purpose of the article is to study how the higher education students’ professional identity is formed and developed under the influence of uncertainty tolerance. Methods. The research used the testing method, namely Career Identity Scale, Individual Tolerance for Uncertainty Scale (IAS). The MSTAT Uncertainty Tolerance Scale was employed as a survey method, alongside statistical data processing techniques such as mean value, median, mode and Spearman's coefficient, Cronbach's coefficient, correlation and factor analyses. Results. Career identity averages were found to be moderately high for both sexes, with numerical values approaching 5.50 for men and 5.40 for women. According to the study findings, the majority of respondents (more than 50%) showed that they can cope with uncertainty, but they prefer to have some control over the situation. Conclusions. A statistically significant positive correlation was established between the tolerance to uncertainty scale (MSTAT) and the career identity scale, indicating that individuals with a higher level of uncertainty tolerance are more prone to possessing a clearer idea of their career. Future research may focus on expanding the understanding of factors influencing students' professional identity.