A Multi-Group Study of Psychological Capital and Job Search Behaviours Among University Graduates With and Without Work Placement Learning Experience

Abstract

We build upon the social cognitive career theory model of career self-management (SCCT-CSM) to test the effects of psychological capital constructs (hope, self-efficacy, optimism and resilience) on preparatory and active job search behaviours, mediated by job search goals in a multi-group study of university graduates who undertook work placement learning before graduation and those who did not. Using a two-wave data from 473 university fresh graduates in the one-year national youth service corps ( N = 209 who undertook work placement learning before graduation) and ( N = 264 who did not undertake work placement learning) in Nigeria, we test an SCCT-CSM-driven model employing structural equation modelling for the multi-group study. The findings revealed positive effects of self-efficacy and optimism on the preparatory and active job search behaviours across both samples but higher effects in the graduates who undertook work placement learning before graduation. Job search goals mediated the effects of self-efficacy and optimism on their preparatory and active job search behaviours in both samples. The serial mediation results show that self-efficacy and optimism indirectly affect the active job search behaviours via job search goals and preparatory job search behaviours. The implications of these results are discussed.

Students' satisfaction with their academic majors and study commitment: The mediating role of academic psychological capital

“…These findings imply that the mediating role of academic PsyCap should not be ignored in the academic domain (e.g., Luthans & Youssef‐Morgan, 2017). Generally, students learn at their own pace over time (You, 2016), thus, enhancing students' academic PsyCap and ensuring that they get into their desired academic majors may enhance their study commitment (e.g., Uwakwe et al, 2022).…”

“…Thus, higher education institutions, particularly, in developing countries may benefit from our findings by understanding the potential gains associated with admitting students into the academic majors in which they are satisfied. Also, they can work towards building and managing students' academic PsyCap as a valuable learning resource (Uwakwe et al, 2022). Given the dearth of empirical findings of major satisfaction, academic PsyCap and study commitment nexuses in the higher education context, particularly, in the developing world context, this study makes substantial contributions to knowledge.…”

“…Despite the positive link between major satisfaction and other academic outcomes (Nauta, 2007; Tessema et al, 2012), a major priority in the debates concerns how and whether major satisfaction may predict students' study commitment, and the underlying psychological factors via which such a relationship exists. We, therefore, explore the underlying psychological factors, focusing on students' academic psychological capital (PsyCap) (Carmona‐Halty et al, 2019; King & Caleon, 2020; Uwakwe et al, 2022), which pertains to students' positive resources of self‐efficacy, resilience, hope and optimism (F. Luthans et al, 2007; K. W. Luthans et al, 2018) in the school setting. These academic PsyCap constructs adapted from the original PsyCap (F. Luthans et al, 2007) can help to explain factors that can enable students' success in their studies.…”

Psychological capital, mindfulness, and teacher burnout: insights from Chinese EFL educators through structural equation modeling

“…Hope, another pivotal aspect of psychological capital, encompasses an individual’s cognitive orientation toward agency and pathways when striving for desired objectives ( Snyder, 2000 ; Uwakwe et al, 2023 ). Within the teaching context, hope assumes a pivotal role in shaping educators’ commitment to their students and the educational process.…”