The Reciprocal Relationships among Perceived Parental Support, Career Exploration and Career Aspiration Developmental Trajectories: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study
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| Title: | The Reciprocal Relationships among Perceived Parental Support, Career Exploration and Career Aspiration Developmental Trajectories: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Xiaoxuan Xu (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Adolescence. 2026 98(2):461-473. |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 13 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | High Schools Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, High School Students, Parent Child Relationship, Career Exploration, Occupational Aspiration, Career Development, Longitudinal Studies, Cultural Context, Collectivism, Gender Differences, Predictor Variables |
| Geographic Terms: | China |
| DOI: | 10.1002/jad.70074 |
| ISSN: | 0140-1971 1095-9254 |
| Abstract: | Introduction: This three-wave longitudinal study examined the reciprocal relationships among perceived parental support, career exploration, and career aspiration trajectories in adolescents, with a focus on collectivist cultural context. The research aimed to clarify how these variables dynamically influence one another during high school and whether gender differences exist in their developmental patterns. Methods: Participants included 3233 Chinese high school students (50% male, 50% female; M[subscript age] = 15.11 years) from Shandong and Henan provinces. Data were collected across three waves (2018-2020) using validated scales: the Career-Related Parental Support Scale, Vocational Exploration Questionnaire, and Career Aspiration Questionnaire. Latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) was employed to analyze developmental trajectories and bidirectional effects, while gender differences were tested via structural equation modeling. Results: Results revealed significant upward trends in parental support and career exploration, while career aspirations remained relatively stable across the three waves. Higher initial parental support predicted elevated initial levels ([beta] = 0.529-0.964, p < 0.01) and accelerated growth in career exploration and aspirations. Reciprocally, adolescents' career exploration positively predicted subsequent parental support development ([beta] = 0.430-1.204, p < 0.05). Gender differences were nonsignificant except for a minor disparity in initial career exploration favoring males ([beta] = -0.049, p < 0.01). Conclusions: The findings underscore bidirectional dynamics between parental support and adolescents' career development, emphasizing early parental engagement as pivotal for fostering career preparedness. Despite cultural expectations, gender differences were minimal, suggesting evolving egalitarian norms. Limitations include geographically restricted sampling and reliance on self-reports. This study advocates for family-based interventions to strengthen career guidance and highlights the importance of open parent-adolescent communication in educational systems. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1496577 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1496577 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: The Reciprocal Relationships among Perceived Parental Support, Career Exploration and Career Aspiration Developmental Trajectories: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xiaoxuan+Xu%22">Xiaoxuan Xu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7243-4711">0009-0000-7243-4711</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Weijian+Chen%22">Weijian Chen</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1576-6714">0009-0002-1576-6714</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hanyu+Zhang%22">Hanyu Zhang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4938-2233">0009-0002-4938-2233</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kaiyue+Guo%22">Kaiyue Guo</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4234-3450">0000-0003-4234-3450</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hongmin+Feng%22">Hongmin Feng</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7329-4834">0000-0002-7329-4834</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jiwei+Si%22">Jiwei Si</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1342-7348">0000-0003-1342-7348</externalLink>) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Adolescence%22"><i>Journal of Adolescence</i></searchLink>. 2026 98(2):461-473. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 13 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research – Name: Audience Label: Education Level Group: Audnce Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+School+Students%22">High School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Child+Relationship%22">Parent Child Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Exploration%22">Career Exploration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Occupational+Aspiration%22">Occupational Aspiration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Development%22">Career Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Longitudinal+Studies%22">Longitudinal Studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+Context%22">Cultural Context</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Collectivism%22">Collectivism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Predictor+Variables%22">Predictor Variables</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1002/jad.70074 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 0140-1971<br />1095-9254 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Introduction: This three-wave longitudinal study examined the reciprocal relationships among perceived parental support, career exploration, and career aspiration trajectories in adolescents, with a focus on collectivist cultural context. The research aimed to clarify how these variables dynamically influence one another during high school and whether gender differences exist in their developmental patterns. Methods: Participants included 3233 Chinese high school students (50% male, 50% female; M[subscript age] = 15.11 years) from Shandong and Henan provinces. Data were collected across three waves (2018-2020) using validated scales: the Career-Related Parental Support Scale, Vocational Exploration Questionnaire, and Career Aspiration Questionnaire. Latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) was employed to analyze developmental trajectories and bidirectional effects, while gender differences were tested via structural equation modeling. Results: Results revealed significant upward trends in parental support and career exploration, while career aspirations remained relatively stable across the three waves. Higher initial parental support predicted elevated initial levels ([beta] = 0.529-0.964, p < 0.01) and accelerated growth in career exploration and aspirations. Reciprocally, adolescents' career exploration positively predicted subsequent parental support development ([beta] = 0.430-1.204, p < 0.05). Gender differences were nonsignificant except for a minor disparity in initial career exploration favoring males ([beta] = -0.049, p < 0.01). Conclusions: The findings underscore bidirectional dynamics between parental support and adolescents' career development, emphasizing early parental engagement as pivotal for fostering career preparedness. Despite cultural expectations, gender differences were minimal, suggesting evolving egalitarian norms. Limitations include geographically restricted sampling and reliance on self-reports. This study advocates for family-based interventions to strengthen career guidance and highlights the importance of open parent-adolescent communication in educational systems. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1496577 |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1002/jad.70074 Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 13 StartPage: 461 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries Type: general – SubjectFull: High School Students Type: general – SubjectFull: Parent Child Relationship Type: general – SubjectFull: Career Exploration Type: general – SubjectFull: Occupational Aspiration Type: general – SubjectFull: Career Development Type: general – SubjectFull: Longitudinal Studies Type: general – SubjectFull: Cultural Context Type: general – SubjectFull: Collectivism Type: general – SubjectFull: Gender Differences Type: general – SubjectFull: Predictor Variables Type: general – SubjectFull: China Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: The Reciprocal Relationships among Perceived Parental Support, Career Exploration and Career Aspiration Developmental Trajectories: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Xiaoxuan Xu – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Weijian Chen – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hanyu Zhang – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kaiyue Guo – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hongmin Feng – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jiwei Si IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 02 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 0140-1971 – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1095-9254 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 98 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Adolescence Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |