Developing a Holistic Framework for Enhancing Career Resilience in Adolescents

Thesis Abstract

In the rapidly evolving global economy, adolescents face increasing uncertainty and challenges in career development, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive frameworks that bolster their career resilience. Despite existing studies on adolescent resilience and career development, there remains a significant gap in integrated models that holistically address the psychological, social, and contextual factors influencing adolescents' capacity to adapt to career-related stressors and transitional phases. This study aims to develop and empirically validate a holistic framework for enhancing career resilience among adolescents, focusing on identifying key internal and external determinants, and proposing practical interventions grounded in theoretical models. The specific objectives are to explore adolescents’ perceptions of career-related challenges, examine the influence of self-efficacy, social support, and future orientation on career resilience, and to construct a comprehensive model depicting the interrelationships among these variables. Employing a mixed-method research design, the study integrates qualitative explorations with quantitative validation. The qualitative phase involves semi-structured interviews with 30 adolescents purposively selected from secondary schools within the metropolitan district to gather in-depth insights into their experiences, perceptions, and coping strategies related to career stressors. The quantitative phase comprises a structured questionnaire administered to a representative sample of 400 adolescents, selected through stratified random sampling from 10 secondary schools, to measure variables such as career resilience, self-efficacy, social support, future orientation, and perceived barriers. Data collection instruments include validated scales adapted from existing indices and additional items developed through pilot testing. The validity and reliability of these instruments are established using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, Cronbach's alpha coefficients, and expert validation. Data analysis employs thematic analysis for qualitative data to identify recurring themes and constructs, while quantitative data are analyzed through descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis to determine predictors of career resilience. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using AMOS software facilitates the testing of the proposed theoretical model and the examination of causal relationships among variables. Ethical considerations such as obtaining informed consent, ensuring confidentiality, and securing institutional review board approval are meticulously observed throughout the research process. It is anticipated that the study will reveal that career resilience among adolescents is significantly predicted by a combination of individual factors—such as self-efficacy and future orientation—and contextual support, including social networks and school environment. The integrated framework is expected to demonstrate that enhancing self-efficacy and fostering supportive social environments contribute positively to adolescents' ability to navigate career-related uncertainties. The findings are expected to fill gaps in current literature by providing a cohesive model that synthesizes individual and contextual factors influencing career resilience, thus offering a comprehensive reference point for career guidance practitioners and policymakers. This research makes a substantive contribution to knowledge by operationalizing a holistic framework that incorporates psychological, social, and environmental components, and empirically validating the interplay among these factors in the context of adolescent career resilience. The main conclusion underscores the importance of multi-level interventions—targeting individual psychological assets and enhancing social support systems—to strengthen adolescents' readiness to cope with career transitions and challenges. Based on the findings, the study advocates for integrated programs in schools and communities that focus on resilience-building, career education, and social support mechanisms. Future research directions include longitudinal studies to assess the stability of the framework over time and adaptation in diverse socio-cultural contexts, as well as intervention-based evaluations to gauge the practical efficacy of proposed strategies.