The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between life goals and career attitude maturity, especially the mediating effect of basic psychological needs, the mediated moderation effect of autonomous and controlled motivation on the ...
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between life goals and career attitude maturity, especially the mediating effect of basic psychological needs, the mediated moderation effect of autonomous and controlled motivation on the relationship between life goals and career attitude maturity.
The study included a sample of 613 first, and second graders who were attending three middle schools in Daegu province. The students were asked to complete life goals scale, basic psychological needs scale, and self-determination motivation scale for children. In addition, their career attitude maturity also used.
The SPSS 18.0 was used to examine descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and Cronbach's alpha. Sobel test and Bootstrap were applied to verify the significance of mediation effects, moderating effects, and mediated moderation effect.
The results were as follows.
First, the correlation coefficients of the all variables in this study were statistically significant.
Second, life goals had indirect effects on career attitude maturity mediated by basic psychological needs. Life goals and basic psychological needs were important variables predicting career attitude maturity. In other words, career attitude maturity can be improved by enhancing life goals and basic psychological needs.
Therefore, this means that basic psychological needs is a mediating factor between life goals and career attitude maturity.
Third, basic psychological needs had a mediating effect on the relationship between life goals and career attitude maturity. This moderation effect was mediated by autonomous motivation. In other words, autonomous motivation acted as a mediated moderation variable. However, controlled motivation did not carry out the role of mediated moderating variable.
This research implications in education are as follows.
First, this study evidenced that the life goals was a important variable predicting career attitude maturity. Therefore, we need to develop intervention programs for setting their own goals, plans and self-confidence in school and at home.
Second, this study proved that the basic psychological needs also was a important variable predicting career attitude maturity. So, we always have to check student's basic psychological needs.
Third, this study showed autonomous motivation was a moderating variable as well as a mediated moderating variable in the relationship between life goals and career attitude maturity. Therefore, various programs are required to improve relationship between students and parents, teachers, and friends. As a result, it is possible to promote the career attitude maturity of children.
Key words: life goals, basic psychological needs, autonomous and controlled motivation, career attitude maturity, mediating effect, moderating effect, mediated moderation effect.