The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Difficulty and Career Decision Self-Efficacy in the Relationship Between Separation Anxiety and Career Adjustment

The aim of this study was to examine the structural relationships between separation anxiety and career adaptability, career decision-making self-efficacy, and emotion regulation difficulties. The sample of the study consisted of 976 university students, 687 female (70.5%) and 287 male (29.5%), aged between 17 and 29 years. Participants completed self-report measures of the variables studied. Structural equation modelling was used to explore the complex relationships between these variables. According to the results of the study, there is no significant relationship between separation anxiety and career adaptability and career decision-making self-efficacy. In addition, there is a significant positive relationship between separation anxiety and emotion dysregulation and between career adaptability and career decision-making self-efficacy. There is also a significant negative relationship between emotion dysregulation and both career adaptability and career decision-making self-efficacy. In addition, the relationship between separation anxiety and career adjustment is mediated by emotion dysregulation alone and by emotion dysregulation and career decision-making self-efficacy together.