Do Dispositional Hope and Career Engagement Contribute to A Better Flourishing Among College Students?

The present study aims to investigate the associations between dispositional hope, career engagement, and flourishing among Turkish college students. Based on the study's hypotheses, a structural model was developed and tested. A total of 412 college students volunteered, comprising 291 females (70.6%) and 121 males (29.4%). The Demographics Information Form, the Flourishing Scale, the Hope Scale, and the Career Engagement Scale were utilized as data collection tools. The results demonstrated that the direct effects of dispositional hope on career engagement and flourishing were significant. Additionally, the direct effect of career engagement on flourishing was found to be significant. Furthermore, it was also revealed that dispositional hope exhibits significant total and indirect effects on flourishing. The structural model demonstrated a good fit to the data (CMIN/DF = 1.227, CFI = 0.999, NFI = 0.996, GFI = 0.994, RMSEA = 0.023, SRMR = 0.008). The present findings provide valuable insights into how positive traits and dispositions contribute to enhanced engagement and flourishing in life. Interventions targeting the empowerment of positive characteristics and career-oriented commitments among college students may enrich both personal and societal outcomes. The results are discussed in line with the existing literature.