The mediating role of academic self-efficacy and moderating role of age in the relationship between career optimism and academic outcome expectations

Abstract The present study examined the relationship between career optimism and academic outcome expectations, the mediating role of academic self-efficacy, and the moderating role of age in this relationship. The study participants consisted of 287 university students from Türkiye. The structural equation modeling results demonstrated that career optimism and academic outcome expectations were positively related, and academic self-efficacy mediated this relationship. Results also showed that age moderated the relationship between career optimism and academic outcome expectations, with the relationship between career optimism and academic outcome expectations not being significant for relatively older college students. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.