The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Career Decision Self-Efficacy among Final-Year University Students: The Moderating Effect of Peer Support

Milazia Putri, Hasnida Hasnida, Sri Supriyantini

Abstract


This study aims to examine the effect of emotional intelligence on CDSE and to test the moderating role of peer support among final-year students of university X. A quantitative approach was employed with a sample of 380 respondents selected using convenience sampling. The instruments used were the Career Decision Self-Efficacy–Short Form (CDSE-SF), the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS), and the Career-Related Peer Support Scale (CRPSS). Data were analyzed using simple moderation analysis with the PROCESS Macro by Hayes in SPSS. The results showed that emotional intelligence has a positive and significant effect on CDSE. In addition, peer support significantly moderates the relationship, such that the effect of emotional intelligence is stronger among students with higher levels of peer support. These findings highlight the importance of both emotional intelligence and peer support in enhancing students’ career decision-making confidence.

Keywords


career decision self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, peer support, final-year students

Full Text:

PDF

References


Brown, S. D., & Lent, R. W. (2012). Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work (2nd ed.). Wiley.

Super, D. E. (1990). A life-span, life-space approach to career development. In D. Brown & L. Brooks (Eds.), Career choice and development (2nd ed., pp. 197–261). Jossey-Bass.

Badan Pusat Statistik. (2023). Keadaan angkatan kerja di Indonesia Februari 2023.

Inak, F. (2021). Survei kesiapan kerja lulusan perguruan tinggi Indonesia. Jakarta: Kemendikbud Ristek.

Sarwandini, S., & Rusmawati, D. (2019). Hubungan antara quality of school life dengan pengambilan keputusan karir pada siswa kelas XII di SMA Negeri 2 Kebumen. Jurnal EMPATI, 8(1), 117-122.

Betz, N. E., Klein, K. L., & Taylor, K. M. (1996). Evaluation of a short form of the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale. Journal of Career Assessment, 4(1), 47–57.

Gushue, G.V., Scanlan, K.R.L., Pantzer, K.M., & Clarke, C.P. (2006). The relationship of career decision making self efficacy, vocational identity, and career exploration behavior in african American high school students. Journal of Career Exploration of Career Development, 33(1), 19-28.

Creed, P. A. & Patton, W. (2003). Predicting Two Components of Career Maturity in School Based Adolescents. Journal of Career Development, 29(4), 277-290.

Stitt-Gohdes, W. L. (1997). Career development: Issues of gender, race, and class. National Center for Research in Vocational Education.

Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45(1), 79–122. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1994.1027

Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. Bantam Books.

Emmerling, R. J., & Cherniss, C. (2003). Emotional intelligence and the career choice process. Journal of Career Assessment, 11(2), 153–167.

Brown, C., George-Curran, R., & Smith, M. L. (2003). The role of emotional intelligence in the career commitment and decision-making process. Journal of Career Assessment, 11(4), 379–392.

Jiang, Z. (2014). Emotional intelligence and career decision-making self-efficacy: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Career Assessment, 22(3), 419–432.

Zimet, G., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. (1988). The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52(1), 30-41. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa5201_2

Zhang, L., & Huang, Y. (2018). Peer support and career decision self-efficacy in Chinese college students. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 18(4), 435–454.

Santrock, J. W. (2003). Adolescence (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Hirschi, A., Niles, S. G., & Akos, P. (2011). Engagement in adolescent career preparation: Social support, personality and the development of choice decidedness and congruence. Journal of Adolescence, 34(1), 173–182.

Chen, S. (2019). Emotional intelligence, perceived social support, and resilience—The impact of school type selection. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(1299), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01299

Memon, M. A., Cheah, J. H., Ramayah, T., Ting, H., Chuah, F., & Cham, T. H. (2019). Moderation analysis: Issues and guidelines. Journal of Applied Structural Equation Modeling, 3(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.47263/JASEM.3(1)01

Sugiyono. (2016). Quantitative, qualitative and R&D research methods. PT.Alfabet.

Yusuf, A. M. (2016). Quantitative, qualitative & mixed research methods. Badge

Wong, C.-S., & Law, K. S. (2002). Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS). American Psychological Association.

Ghozali, I. (2016). Desain penelitian kuantitatif & kualitatif untuk akuntansi, bisnis, dan ilmu sosial lainnya. Yoga Pratama.

Azwar, S. (2017). Penyusunan skala psikologi. Pustaka Pelajar.

Taylor, K. M., & Betz, N. E. (1983). Applications of self-efficacy theory to the understanding and treatment of career indecision. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 22(1), 63–81.

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy - The Exercise of Control. Freeman and Company

Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45(1), 79–122. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1994.1027

Ran, Z., Zeb, S., Nisar, F., Yasmin, F., Poulova, P., & Haider, S. A. (2022). The impact of emotional intelligence on career decision-making difficulties and generalized self-efficacy among university students in China. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 15, 865–876.

Sharma, B., & Devdutt, P. (2024). Impact of emotional intelligence on career decision-making efficacy in high school students. The International Journal of Indian Psychology, 12(4). https://doi.org/10.25215/1204.129

Di Fabio, A., Palazzeschi, L., Asulin-Peretz, L., & Gati, I. (2013). Career indecision versus indecisiveness: Associations with personality traits and emotional intelligence. Journal of Career Assessment, 21(1), 42–56.

Azpiazu, L., Rodríguez-Fernández, A., Goñi, E., & Fernández-Zabala, A. (2025). The influence of emotional intelligence on life satisfaction in adolescence. European Journal of Psychology Open, 84(4), 181–194. https://doi.org/10.1024/2673-8627/a000084

Hoffnung, M. (2018). Contemporary issues in development: Career readiness and peer influence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(4), 752–766.

Kurniasih, H., & Salim, R. M. A. (2022). Perceived peer support as a moderator of the relationship between core self-evaluations and career adaptability among university students from papua region. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, 20(3), 517-532. https://doi.org/10.25115/ejrep.v20i58.4812

Patel, N., Salahuddin, N. M., & O’Brien, K. M. (2008). Peer support and career decision self-efficacy in ethnic minority youth. Journal of Career Development, 34(4), 389–404.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.52155/ijpsat.v58.1.8301

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Milazia Putri

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.