A latent transition analysis of ambivalence in career decision making: The roles of adolescent-parent career congruence and career decision-making self-efficacy

As a striking topic in adolescent career development, ambivalence in career decision-making has been proven to be multifaceted in previous studies. Nevertheless, they mainly focused on late adolescence and did not illustrate the transition pattern of subgroups. Rooted in the social-cognitive theory of career self-management, this two-wave longitudinal study (6-month time interval) intended to shed light on the transition patterns of career ambivalence and whether career decision-making self-efficacy and adolescent-parent career congruence act as predictors, with a sample of 941 Chinese early adolescents (44.9 % females, M age = 12.40, SD age = 1.50). Results identified four quantitative profiles at each wave, characterized by low, moderate, high, and hyper-high ambivalence, respectively. Latent transition analysis indicated that adolescents in distinct profiles both maintained and transitioned between subgroups over time. Furthermore, career decision-making self-efficacy prevented the low subgroup from transiting to the hyper-high subgroup, whereas adolescent-parent career congruence did not play a significant role. This study underscores the protective roles of career decision-making self-efficacy in the personalized intervention for career ambivalence among early adolescents. • Four profiles of adolescent career ambivalence were identified. • Profiles both persisted and transitioned over six months. • Career decision-making self-efficacy reduced transitions from low to hyper-high ambivalence. • No protective effect was found for parent–adolescent congruence.