The mediating role of hope and optimism in the relationship between career adaptability and life satisfaction in high school students

This descriptive correlational research was conducted with the aim of examining the mediator role of hope and optimism in the relationship between career adaptability and life satisfaction in high school students. The research was conducted in 5 high schools in the province of Adana and its central districts. The participants were 617 students (321 females and 296 males; and range = 14 to 18) who were ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders. This research aims to collect data related to adolescents' career adaptability "Career Adapt-Abilities Scale" (Savickas and Porfeli, 2012), life satisfaction "Satisfaction with Life Scale" (Diener, Emmnos, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985), optimism "Life Orientation Test" (Scheiver and Carver, 1985), hope "Dispositional Hope Scale" (Snyder et al., 1991) and finally "Personal Information Form" developed by researcher to elicit personal information of participants were conducted. Research data was analyzed through Pearson Product-Moment Correlation and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Mediation Analysis through Structural Equation Modeling. The result of this research revealed that career adaptability, life satisfaction, optimism and hope were all found positively related to each other. According to Structural Equation Modeling analysis results, it was found that life satisfaction was predicted by career adaptability. Additionally, hope and optimism worked together as a full mediator in the relationship between career adaptability and life satisfaction in high school students. Key Words: Career Adaptability, Life Satisfaction, Optimism, Hope, Future Orientation, Structural Equation Modeling