Sequential Mediating Effects of Cultural Competence and Learning Engagement in the Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy of College Students

Objectives This study aimed to analyze whether cultural competence and learning engagement have significant mediating effects in the relationship between emotional intelligence and career decision-making self-efficacy in university students. Additionally, it examined whether cultural competence and learning engagement sequentially mediate the relationship between these two variables. Methods To achieve this, a survey was conducted on 301 university students in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to measure their emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, cultural competence, and learning engagement. The mediation effects were verified using bootstrapping analysis with the SPSS Macro Process Results First, emotional intelligence in university students was found to be significant for career decision-making self-efficacy, cultural competence, and learning engagement. Cultural competence was significant for learning engagement and career decision-making self-efficacy, and learning engagement was significant for career decision-making self-efficacy. Second, the mediating effects of cultural competence and learning engagement were significant in the relationship between emotional intelligence and career decision-making self-efficacy. Third, the sequential mediating effects of cultural competence and learning engagement were also significant in this relationship. Conclusions The study is academically significant as it reveals the mediating effects of cultural competence and learning engagement in the relationship between emotional intelligence and career decision-making self-efficacy. Additionally, the significant sequential mediating effects of cultural competence and learning engagement were confirmed. This suggests the need to explore comprehensive and systematic approaches to simultaneously enhance students' emotional intelligence, cultural competence, and learning engagement.