The effect of mindfulness and vocational identity on career adaptability among graduates in the early career stage

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which mindfulness and vocational identity predict career adaptability. For purely exploratory purposes, the present study also investigated the possibility that mindfulness influences career adaptability via vocational identity. The secondary aim was to determine whether gender differences exist with regard to the level of career adaptability. A non-experimental, quantitative survey research design was used to obtain data on the constructs under investigation along with relevant biographical information. Electronic self-administered questionnaires were used to gather information from the participants. Results of the present study were based on a convenience sample of 200 respondents from a higher education institution in the Free State who were in the early career stage and have completed, or were in the process of completing, some form of tertiary education. Correlational analysis indicated a statistically significant positive correlation between vocational identity and career adaptability. In a similar sense, the results from the multiple regression analysis indicated that vocational identity was the only statistically significant predictor of career adaptability and its associated dimensions. More specifically, the results of the current study indicated the correlation between the concern dimension of career adaptability and vocational identity to be the highest. On the other hand, no statistical significant correlation or relationship was found between mindfulness and career adaptability. Interestingly, the PLS results indicated that vocational identity acted as a significant mediator between mindfulness and career adaptability. Furthermore, the results of the current study indicated that males displayed higher levels of career adaptability than females did. However, the difference was not found to be statistically significant. Recommendations were made to replicate the study with a larger sample size that is more representative in terms of demographics. Additionally, alternative research methodologies such as an experimental pre-test post-test design with a standardised career intervention were proposed in order to investigate the dynamic relationships between the variables in greater depth.