The Reciprocal Relationships Among Perceived Parental Support, Career Exploration and Career Aspiration Developmental Trajectories: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study.

INTRODUCTION This three-wave longitudinal study examined the reciprocal relationships among perceived parental support, career exploration, and career aspiration trajectories in adolescents, with a focus on collectivist cultural context. The research aimed to clarify how these variables dynamically influence one another during high school and whether gender differences exist in their developmental patterns. METHODS Participants included 3233 Chinese high school students (50% male, 50% female; Mage = 15.11 years) from Shandong and Henan provinces. Data were collected across three waves (2018-2020) using validated scales: the Career-Related Parental Support Scale, Vocational Exploration Questionnaire, and Career Aspiration Questionnaire. Latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) was employed to analyze developmental trajectories and bidirectional effects, while gender differences were tested via structural equation modeling. RESULTS Results revealed significant upward trends in parental support and career exploration, while career aspirations remained relatively stable across the three waves. Higher initial parental support predicted elevated initial levels (β = 0.529-0.964, p < 0.01) and accelerated growth in career exploration and aspirations. Reciprocally, adolescents' career exploration positively predicted subsequent parental support development (β = 0.430-1.204, p < 0.05). Gender differences were nonsignificant except for a minor disparity in initial career exploration favoring males (β = -0.049, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS The findings underscore bidirectional dynamics between parental support and adolescents' career development, emphasizing early parental engagement as pivotal for fostering career preparedness. Despite cultural expectations, gender differences were minimal, suggesting evolving egalitarian norms. Limitations include geographically restricted sampling and reliance on self-reports. This study advocates for family-based interventions to strengthen career guidance and highlights the importance of open parent-adolescent communication in educational systems.