Father involvement and Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students’ students’ vocational identity development

Abstract Vocational identity development is a crucial yet underexplored aspect of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) students’ education and career progression. This study investigates the role of father involvement in shaping DHH students’ vocational identity, focusing on the mediating effects of internal (self-determination) and external (social competence) factors. Using data from 1,003 DHH university students across China, the results revealed that father involvement significantly enhances vocational identity (β = 2.273, p < .001). Specifically, it positively impacts self-determination (β = 1.810, p < .001) and social competence (β = 0.889, p < .001), both of which independently and significantly influence vocational identity. Self-determination accounted for approximately 57.3% of the total mediation effect, while social competence contributed 28.1%. These findings highlight the importance of internal motivation and external social skills in career development. This study provides valuable insights into how father involvement influences vocational identity through distinct psychological pathways, offering evidence-based recommendations for interventions aimed at enhancing self-determination and social competence to support DHH students’ vocational identity development.