Perceived gaps in socioemotional training and professional readiness among undergraduate psychology students

Purpose This study examined perceived socioemotional preparation and its associations with perceived professional readiness among undergraduate psychology students in Mexican private higher education, including differences by academic level and gender. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted with 560 psychology students from three private higher education institutions in Mexico. A study-specific socioemotional questionnaire was examined using exploratory factor analysis. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, independent-samples t-tests, Cohen's d and multiple linear regression were subsequently conducted. Findings Stress management, professional self-care and emotional preparedness showed comparatively lower scores. Advanced-level students reported lower emotional preparedness, stress management and self-care than intermediate-level students, while women reported higher empathy and socioemotional awareness. All five functional socioemotional competencies were positively associated with professional readiness; stress management showed the strongest adjusted association. The regression model explained approximately 48% of the variance. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional, self-report design precludes causal inference and convenience sampling from private Mexican institutions limits generalizability. The exploratory factor structure requires independent confirmation and further psychometric evaluation. Practical implications Psychology programs may consider strengthening stress management, professional self-care and socioemotional preparation as students approach supervised professional practice. Social implications Greater attention to socioemotional preparation may support sustainable and ethically responsible professional functioning among future psychologists. Originality/value The study integrates multiple socioemotional domains with perceived professional readiness in a comparatively underexamined context: undergraduate psychology education in Mexican private higher education.