TY  - JOUR
T1  - Proactive Career Behaviors in the Context of Psychological Needs and Career Adapt-Abilities: A Structural Equation Model
TT  - Psikolojik İhtiyaçlar ve Kariyer Uyum Yetenekleri Bağlamında Proaktif Kariyer Davranışları: Yapısal Bir Eşitlik Modeli
AU  - Doğanülkü, Hacı Arif
AU  - Duru, Hazel
PY  - 2025
DA  - September
Y2  - 2025
DO  - 10.19171/uefad.1551822
JF  - Journal of Uludag University Faculty of Education
PB  - Bursa Uludağ University
WT  - DergiPark
SN  - 2667-6788
SP  - 532
EP  - 553
VL  - 38
IS  - 3
LA  - en
AB  - Proactive career behaviors are recognized as key antecedents in the successful transition from the student role to the workforce. In this context, there is a growing need for studies to identify variables that influence the development of proactive career behaviors. This study aims to investigate the mediating role of career adaptability in the relationship between university students' proactive career behaviors and psychological needs. A total of 383 students, including 242 females (63.2%) and 141 males (36.8%), participated in the research. Data were collected using the Balanced Measure of Psychological Needs Scale, the Career Adapt-abilities Scale-Short Form, and the Career Engagement Scale. Structural equation modeling was employed to test whether career adaptability mediates the relationship between psychological needs and proactive career behaviors. The results indicated that proactive career behaviors were significantly related to career adapt-abilities and all three psychological needs: autonomy need, relatedness need, competence. Moreover, career adapt-abilities was found to fully mediate the relationship between proactive career behaviors and psychological needs. By contributing to the literature on proactive career behaviors, this study offers theoretical insights and practical implications that could have positive effects on university students’ successful transition to work life and their career development processes.
KW  - Proactive career behaviors
KW  - Psychological needs
KW  - Career adapt-abilities
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UR  - https://doi.org/10.19171/uefad.1551822
L1  - https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/4222036
ER  -