Differences in Character Strengths, Life Goals, and Career Barriers according to the Vocational Identity Status of Korean College Students

This study classified the vocational identity statuses of 4-year college students into six clusters (achieved, searching moratorium, moratorium, foreclosed, undifferentiated, and diffused) based on Porfeli's (2011) theory and examined differences in personality strengths, life goals, and career barriers. Self-report data of 400 college students nationwide was used for cluster analysis to identify the form and characteristic of each vocational identity status. Also, a MANOVA on personality strengths, life goals, and career barriers were performed. First, results indicated that vocational identity statuses were classified into 6 like prior studies. However, some deviations regarding the profiles of achieved, foreclosed, diffused, and the undifferentiated were found. Second, foreclosed, achieved, and searching moratorium showed higher levels of both self and other-directed character strengths than the moratorium, diffused, and undifferentiated statuses. Third, searching moratorium scored highest in all life goals. Fourth, the career barrier of the diffused foreclosed were significantly higher than others. The study concludes with limitations and suggestions for future research.