The influence of self-concept and resilience on career aspiration through career choice among senior high school students in Semarang Tengah District

Abstract

Career aspirations play an essential role in shaping students’ future career development and decision-making. This study aimed to examine the relationships between self-concept, resilience, and career aspirations, with career choice as a mediating variable, and explore their implications for school guidance and counseling services. An ex post facto research design was employed, involving 316 students selected through cluster random sampling. Data were collected using validated Likert-type instruments measuring self-concept, resilience, career aspirations, and career choice. Data were analyzed using path analysis and the Sobel test. The results revealed that self-concept was not significantly associated with career aspirations (t = 0.877, p > .05), whereas resilience (t = 2.867, p < .05) and career choice (t = 7.025, p < .01) were significant positive predictors, explaining 27.7% of the variance in career aspirations (R² = .277). Self-concept (t = 2.497, p = .013) and resilience (t = 9.731, p < .001) also significantly predicted career choice (R² = .352). Furthermore, the Sobel test confirmed significant indirect associations between self-concept and career aspirations (ab = .022, z = 2.38, p = .018) and between resilience and career aspirations (ab = .103, z = 5.79, p < .001) through career choice. These findings highlight the mediating role of career choice and emphasize the importance of integrating self-concept development, resilience strengthening, and career decision-making skills into comprehensive school guidance and counseling programs.