This study aimed to develop a career curriculum program incorporating positive psychological capital for vocational college students and to examine its effectiveness in improving career identity, career adaptability, and career decision-making self-ef...
This study aimed to develop a career curriculum program incorporating positive psychological capital for vocational college students and to examine its effectiveness in improving career identity, career adaptability, and career decision-making self-efficacy. Positive psychological capital, consisting of hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism, was incorporated into the program to support vocational college students as they adjusted to their majors, made career decisions, and prepared for employment within a relatively short academic period.
The program was developed using Kim’s (2002) four-stage model comprising planning, construction, finalization and implementation, and evaluation. The model was reorganized into eight subprocedures suitable for a regular career curriculum. Based on a review of the characteristics of vocational college students, prior research, and activities related to positive psychological capital, a preliminary program was developed. Its content validity was assessed by five experts in education and counseling psychology. The final program consisted of 15 weekly sessions integrating the four components of positive psychological capital into the objectives, content, and activities of each session.
A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group pretest–posttest design was employed. The participants were 66 first-year students at G Vocational College in Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea. They were nonrandomly assigned by department to a career curriculum program incorporating positive psychological capital group (n = 22), an existing career curriculum group (n = 22), and a non-participating control group (n = 22). Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance, paired-samples t-tests, analysis of covariance with pretest scores as covariates, and Bonferroni-adjusted multiple comparisons.
The results indicated significant between-group differences in all subscales and the total score of career identity. The program group scored higher than the control group on the self-understanding subscale, higher than both comparison groups on the understanding of occupational information subscale and total career identity, and higher than the existing career curriculum group on the confidence in ability subscale. Significant between-group differences were also found in concern, curiosity, confidence, and total career adaptability, but not in the control subscale. The program group scored higher than both comparison groups in total career adaptability.
Significant between-group differences were found in all subscales and the total score of career decision-making self-efficacy. The program group scored higher than the control group in self-appraisal, occupational information, goal selection, and the total score. Both career curriculum groups scored higher than the control group in planning, whereas the program group scored higher than both comparison groups in problem solving.
These findings suggest that a career curriculum program incorporating positive psychological capital may support the career development of vocational college students. The study contributes by presenting a systematic program development procedure and examining the program in comparison with an existing career curriculum and a non-participating control group. However, the findings should be interpreted cautiously because the participants were nonrandomly assigned by department and the sample was drawn from a single vocational college.
Keywords: positive psychological capital, career curriculum program, career identity, career adaptability, career decision-making self-efficacy, vocational college students