Contextual and psychosocial predictors in successful school-to-work transition

The purpose of this study was to test part of the school-to-work transition model, developed based on the psychology of working theory, to address the role of contextual factors (economic constraints and marginalization) and psychosocial resources (general self-efficacy and career adaptability) in the school-to-work transition. For this purpose, the relationships between economic constraints, marginalization, general self-efficacy, career adaptability, perceived future employability, and future decent work were examined. Participants in this study consisted of 762 senior university students reached through convenient sampling during the 2022-2023 academic year. The Economic Constraints Scale, Lifetime Experiences of Marginalization Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Career Adapt-Abilities Scale–Short Form, Perceived Future Employability Scale, and Future Decent Work Scale were used to collect data. Structural equation modeling was used to test the model and examine the relationships between the variables. The research found that economic constraints predicted perceived future employability and future decent work, but not general self-efficacy and career adaptability, which are psychosocial resources. Marginalization was found to be a predictor of general self-efficacy, career adaptability, perceived future employability, and future decent work. General self-efficacy predicted only career adaptability. Also, career adaptability predicted perceived future employability, but not future decent work. Finally, perceived future employability predicted future decent work. The results of this study indicate that contextual factors play an important role in successful school-to-work transition, while psychosocial resources, which are mediating variables, have limited mediation in this relationship.