Psychological Well-Being and Career Indecision in Emerging Adulthood: The Moderating Role of Hardiness

Choosing a career path is an important developmental task during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. However, many emerging adults (EAs)-individuals between 18 and 29 years of age (Inguglia et al., 2016)-struggle to get their career decision-making processes under way because they need a long time to explore various possible career directions (Arnett, 2004; Miller & Rottinghaus, 2014). In particular, this condition concerns EAs who are never employed and is traditionally associated with the construct of career indecision (Gati et al., 2011; Gati, Krausz, & Osipow, 1996), referring to the difficulties that can slow or even stop the career decision-making process.Among such difficulties, Gati et al. (1996) highlighted the importance of lack of readiness (LoR), which is one of the major categories of difficulties arising prior to engaging in the career decision-making process. LoR is further divided into three specific difficulty categories: (a) lack of motivation, reflecting a lack of willingness to make a decision; (b) indecisiveness, reflecting a general difficulty in making decisions; and (c) dysfunctional beliefs, reflecting a distorted perception of, and irrational expectations about, the career decision-making process. However, previous studies (e.g., Albion, 2000; Gati et al., 1996) have reported that measures of dysfunctional beliefs often show low reliability and consistency, thereby making it difficult to use the dysfunctional beliefs construct. Nevertheless, LoR continues to be an interesting dimension to consider because it is still associated with emotionally based aspects linked to individuals' well-being, such as feelings of mistrust, discouragement, and confusion about self and career choices (Gati et al., 1996).Several studies have found that career indecision is associated with emotional problems and psychological well-being (PWB; e.g., Kelly & Lee, 2002; Saka, Gati, & Kelly, 2008; Santos, 2001; Saunders, Peterson, Sampson, & Reardon, 2000; Strauser, Lustig, & Ciftci, 2008; Zhou & Xu, 2013). For example, Saka et al. (2008) identified three major emotional problems associated with career indecision: pessimistic views, anxiety, and negative self-concept. Generally, individuals with pessimistic views, higher levels of anxiety, and lower self-worth have more difficulties in formulating clear career goals. Moreover, Zhou and Xu (2013) showed that university students who reported higher levels of PWB were more decisive in their career choices and more knowledgeable about their future careers.In line with the work of Zhou and Xu (2013), we focused on PWB as one of the most important indicators of a successful career decisionmaking process. In so doing, we referred to Ryff's (1995) multifaceted conceptualization of PWB, including six theoretically and empirically distinguishable dimensions: positive relations with others, autonomy, purpose in life, personal growth, environmental mastery, and self-acceptance. Three of these six dimensions seem to be more strictly linked to the career choice process during emerging adulthood: autonomy, personal growth, and self-acceptance. Specifically, EAs who show higher levels of autonomy start the career decision-making process according to personal standards and not according to the opinions of others (Guay, Ratelle, Senecal, Larose, & Deschenes, 2006). EAs who identify themselves as growing and aspiring to maximize their potential show higher levels of involvement in the career exploration process (Robitschek et al., 2012; Strauser et al., 2008). Finally, EAs with higher levels of self-acceptance also show better attitudes to deal with problems of career choice, in light of the relationships between career identity issues and the domains of self-actualization and identity formation (Kunnen, 2014). In summary, thinking about career choices is linked with the possibility for EAs to pursue their own personal goals, to maximize their personal potential, and to achieve higher levels of self-regard (Guay et al. …