Relationship between metacognitive skills and career exploration outcome expectations: mediating role of parental and peer attachment styles

These results show that individuals' metacognitive skills play an important role in the process of career exploration and goal setting. Moreover, individuals' metacognitive skills have a stronger association with family ties than with peer relationships. However, individuals' ties to their mothers, fathers, and peers are not a determining factor in the formation of individuals' expectations about their careers. Additionally, the relationship between metacognitive skills and career exploration outcome expectations occurs directly, independent of maternal, paternal, and peer attachment styles. Thus, individual characteristics, rather than social factors, such as family or peer relationships, play a significant role in shaping individuals' expectations about career exploration.