TR
EN
Proactive Career Behaviors in the Context of Psychological Needs and Career Adapt-Abilities: A Structural Equation Model
Abstract
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.
Keywords
Ethical Statement
The study followed the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved and registered by the Ethics Committee of Bursa Uludağ University (2022-02, Decision Number: 38).
References
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- Chen, H., Fang, T., Liu, F., Pang, L., Wen, Y., Chen, S., & Gu, X. (2020). Career adaptability research: A literature review with scientific knowledge mapping in web of science. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(16), 5986. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165986
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Career Counseling
Journal Section
Research Article
Early Pub Date
September 5, 2025
Publication Date
December 27, 2025
Submission Date
September 18, 2024
Acceptance Date
June 3, 2025
Published in Issue
Year 2025 Volume: 38 Number: 3
APA
Doğanülkü, H. A., & Duru, H. (2025). Proactive Career Behaviors in the Context of Psychological Needs and Career Adapt-Abilities: A Structural Equation Model. Journal of Uludag University Faculty of Education, 38(3), 532-553. https://doi.org/10.19171/uefad.1551822
AMA
1.Doğanülkü HA, Duru H. Proactive Career Behaviors in the Context of Psychological Needs and Career Adapt-Abilities: A Structural Equation Model. Journal of Uludag University Faculty of Education. 2025;38(3):532-553. doi:10.19171/uefad.1551822
Chicago
Doğanülkü, Hacı Arif, and Hazel Duru. 2025. “Proactive Career Behaviors in the Context of Psychological Needs and Career Adapt-Abilities: A Structural Equation Model”. Journal of Uludag University Faculty of Education 38 (3): 532-53. https://doi.org/10.19171/uefad.1551822.
EndNote
Doğanülkü HA, Duru H (December 1, 2025) Proactive Career Behaviors in the Context of Psychological Needs and Career Adapt-Abilities: A Structural Equation Model. Journal of Uludag University Faculty of Education 38 3 532–553.
IEEE
[1]H. A. Doğanülkü and H. Duru, “Proactive Career Behaviors in the Context of Psychological Needs and Career Adapt-Abilities: A Structural Equation Model”, Journal of Uludag University Faculty of Education, vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 532–553, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.19171/uefad.1551822.
ISNAD
Doğanülkü, Hacı Arif - Duru, Hazel. “Proactive Career Behaviors in the Context of Psychological Needs and Career Adapt-Abilities: A Structural Equation Model”. Journal of Uludag University Faculty of Education 38/3 (December 1, 2025): 532-553. https://doi.org/10.19171/uefad.1551822.
JAMA
1.Doğanülkü HA, Duru H. Proactive Career Behaviors in the Context of Psychological Needs and Career Adapt-Abilities: A Structural Equation Model. Journal of Uludag University Faculty of Education. 2025;38:532–553.
MLA
Doğanülkü, Hacı Arif, and Hazel Duru. “Proactive Career Behaviors in the Context of Psychological Needs and Career Adapt-Abilities: A Structural Equation Model”. Journal of Uludag University Faculty of Education, vol. 38, no. 3, Dec. 2025, pp. 532-53, doi:10.19171/uefad.1551822.
Vancouver
1.Hacı Arif Doğanülkü, Hazel Duru. Proactive Career Behaviors in the Context of Psychological Needs and Career Adapt-Abilities: A Structural Equation Model. Journal of Uludag University Faculty of Education. 2025 Dec. 1;38(3):532-53. doi:10.19171/uefad.1551822