Family social class as a predictor of college students' career decision-making self-efficacy

Career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) is important for college students' choice of career, especially during the current period of global economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the predictive effect of family social class on the CDMSE of college students. Participants were 838 college students from China, who completed measures of subjective socioeconomic status, self-esteem, belief in a just world, and CDMSE. The results show that family social class predicted the CDMSE of college students not only directly. but also indirectly through the separate mediating roles of belief in a just world and self-esteem, and through the chain mediating effect of belief in a just world followed by self-esteem. We have provided empirical evidence that could be useful for college teachers who offer students psychological counseling for their careers.