Positive Identity and Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy: Implications for Pansexual, Asexual, Demisexual, and Queer College Students

Abstract

Authors examined how social support and self-compassion influenced the relationship between positive sexual identity and career decision-making self-efficacy among college students in the emerging sexual minority categories (pansexual, asexual, demisexual, and queer). Serial mediation analysis was used with a sample of 131 sexual minority college students (53 queer, 31 pansexual, 26 asexual, and 21 demisexual). Results support the sequential mediating effect of social support and self-compassion. Specifically, social support preceded self-compassion in the mediational pathway between positive sexual identity and career decision-making self-efficacy. Implications for professional counselors are discussed.

Keywords:

• Career decision
• emerging identity
• positive sexual identity
• serial mediation effects

Disclosure statement

We have no known conflict of interest to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

Hansori Jang’s work was supported by Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Research Fund.