Predicting Career Adaptability among Higher Vocational College Students: The Roles of Proactive Personality, Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy, and Social Support

This study examined how proactive personality, career decision-making self-efficacy, and social support influence career adaptability among higher vocational college students in Sichuan Province, China. Guided by Career Construction Theory and Social Cognitive Career Theory, the research addressed a critical gap in understanding the interplay of individual traits and contextual factors in shaping career readiness within Chinese vocational education. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 382 students selected through proportional stratified random sampling across four institutions. Validated instruments were used to measure each construct, and data were analysed using Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression. The results showed that all three predictors were significantly and positively related to career adaptability: proactive personality (??=?.24, p?<?.001), career decision-making self-efficacy (??=?.23, p?<?.001), and social support (??=?.37, p?<?.001). The full model accounted for 53% of the variance in career adaptability, with social support emerging as the strongest predictor. These findings reinforce the applicability of both Career Construction Theory and Social Cognitive Career Theory in non-Western, collectivist contexts and underscore the combined developmental and environmental influences on vocational students’ career outcomes. Practically, the study highlights the need for integrated, student-centred interventions that strengthen proactive behaviours, enhance self-efficacy, and build supportive networks to promote adaptable and confident career transitions.