Linking Affective Commitment, Career Self-Efficacy, and Outcome Expectations: A Test of Social Cognitive Career Theory

The authors tested a model based on the satisfaction model of social cognitive career theory (SCCT) that links college students’ affective commitment to their major (the emotional identification that students feel toward their area of study) with career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) and career outcome expectations. Results indicate that CDSE mediates the relationship between affective commitment to the major and career outcome expectations, specifically expected career performance and satisfaction. Further, students’ perception of abilities–demands fit with their major interacts with affective commitment to moderate these direct and indirect effects. The authors discuss these findings in light of SCCT and develop recommendations for career counselors and academic advisors based on their results.