The purpose of this study is to examine the difference in self-differentiation, self-determination, and career maturity between male and female middle school students as well as the difference in mediating effect of self-determination in the relations...
The purpose of this study is to examine the difference in self-differentiation, self-determination, and career maturity between male and female middle school students as well as the difference in mediating effect of self-determination in the relationship between self-differentiation and career maturity. For this purpose, 243 students in their third year in middle school located in Yongin-si, Gyounggi-do (Male: 115, Female: 128,) were selected for a self-reporting survey using the indices of self-differentiation, self-determination, and career maturity. With this sample as the basis, an analysis on the correlation was conducted to find out the relationships between the variables as mentioned-above. In addition, an independent t-test was conducted in order to identify the differences between the male and female student groups. In order to verify the mediating effect of self-determination on the relationship between self-differentiation and career maturity, a hierarchical multiple regression analysis was also carried out based on the conditions suggested in Baron and Kenny (1986.)
The result of the analysis was as follows;
Firstly, the difference between the male and female group for each variable was established in all of the three cases, that is, for self-differentiation, self-determination, and the career maturity. It was also noted that the values with the male group was lower than those of the female group. The mediating effect of the self-determination on the relationship between self-differentiation and career maturity was also established between the two groups. In terms of the mediating model, the male group has shown a complete mediating effect of self-determination on the relationship between self-differentiation and career maturity, while the mediating effect itself was slightly higher with the female group than the case of female group.
Secondly, the higher the level of self-differentiation of middle school student, the higher the level of career maturity, while higher self-determination contributed to career maturity as well. That is, a higher level of self-differentiation resulted in higher self-determination as persons with higher level of self-differentiation tend to show objective-oriented behaviors with conviction and determination through autonomous, independent decision making. Also, the ones with higher self-determination showed higher level of career maturity, because they experience facilitation of creative behaviors, positive mental reactions, self-respect, flexible cognitive processing, satisfaction with life, and persistence as a result of inner motivation. This entails a more proactive attitude toward life and higher achievement and facilitates career maturity.
Thirdly, self-determination was discovered to have a complete mediating effect on the relationship between self-differentiation and career maturity.
The self-differentiation of middle school students, which was one of the independent variables, explained the career maturity, a dependent variable, with statistical significance. In addition, the independent variable explained career maturity with statistical significance with the mediating variable of self-determination as well, while self-differentiation of the middle school students as an independent variable explained the self-determination as the mediating variable with significance. In this regard, it could be said that self-determination fully mediates the relationship between self-differentiation and career maturity of middle school students.
The result of this study was that, firstly, the level of career maturity is under the influence of self-determination of the middle school students. The result also signified that it is required to understand the difference between male and female student groups in terms of career maturity and identify the direction of career decisions based on whether the direction of motivation behind such actions were internal or external. In addition, in order to make a career decision, it is necessary to establish a goal to achieve a sound self-identity and gain freedom from impulsive, emotional thinking and behaviors as a part of strategy to focus on strengthening self-differentiation and self-determination. For this reason, the implication of this study would be concerning the fact that it is necessary to motivate the middle school students and establish a multitude of programs to help the students to build a sound career attitude as they go through emotional maturity via a set of positive interactions with other family members.