Gender differences in future time perspectives and risk of being not in employment, education, or training: the mediating role of achievement goal motivations

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between future time perspectives (FTP) and risk of being not in employment, education, or training (NEET) with the mediating role of achievement goal motivations among undergraduate students in Vietnam. It revealed that FTP was negatively related to NEET risk, indicating students who focused on their future seemed more likely to decrease the risk of being NEET. Among achievement goals, mastery-approach orientation and performance-avoidance orientation played mediating roles in the FTP and NEET risk relationship. Precisely, mastery-approach orientation played a complete mediating effect in the female sample while performance-avoidance orientation acted as a partial mediator in the male sample (explained by the social role theory). The findings enrich the understanding of NEET risk and its relevant factors, as well as contribute to the educational field regarding undergraduates’ future planning and intervention to enhance motivation across genders. The implications and limitations of these findings were discussed.

The psychological future of unemployed individuals and workers: invariance measurement model and mean differences

“…In practical terms, in career interventions, there might be cases in which unemployed clients’ rates in future-related variables are even higher compared to employed ones. Among those less future-oriented and with an unclear LP, the optimization of the psychological future still may enhance their self-confidence on future employment (Chen et al, 2022 ) and decrease the risk of not being in employment, education, or training (Cheng & Nguyen, 2022 ). Consequently, it would be important to pursue an initial assessment of clients’ psychological future.…”

“…Unemployment is associated with economic, social, and psychological vulnerability (Drosos et al, 2021 ), impacting how individuals deal with their future (Bonanomi & Rosina, 2022 ; Taveira et al, 2023 ). Moreover, future-oriented people tend to perceive themselves as more employable (Chen et al, 2022 ) and have less risk of being not in employment, education, or training (Cheng & Nguyen, 2022 ). Thus, optimizing the psychological future of unemployed individuals may help improve their quality of life and enhance their chances in job search.…”

Mediating effects of future time perspective on the relationship between mindfulness and learning burnout in college students: A cross-sectional descriptive study

“…Future time perspectives is a kind of cognition and positive expectation of future time, which is closely related to planning ability and plays a positive role in individual development. [ 15 ] Mindfulness is the awareness and attention of the present moment, which is closely linked to the concept of time. [ 16 ] Therefore, mindfulness and future time perspective represent the present and future positive time concept respectively, [ 17 ] belonging to the 2 dimensions of positive time concept.…”