A Study on the Career Decision-Making Experiences of University Students with Insecure Attachment

This study aims to explore the experiences and meanings embedded in the career decision-making processes of university students with insecure attachment, and to reveal the essential nature of the phenomena internalized within those experiences. Employing Colaizzi’s phenomenological method, in-depth interviews and data analysis were conducted with eight university students in their third year or above. As a result, 70 formulated meanings, 19 themes, and 6 theme clusters were identified. The core thematic categories identified in this study include: the erosion of career agency through internalized parental voices; the formation of a dependent career identity shaped by others; the obstructive role of the inner critic in decision-making; career withdrawal resulting from internalized standards of utility and perfectionism; an anxious and disoriented career trajectory under uncertainty; and the emerging pursuit of an authentic, self-directed vocational path. These findings highlight that career decision-making is not merely a matter of choice, but a complex psychological and relational process shaped by internal and external dynamics.