Social-Cognitive Predictors of College Athletes’ Career Decision-Making: A Longitudinal Test of Career Self-Management Model

We tested the social-cognitive model of career self-management (CSM) using a longitudinal design. Participants were 575 college athletes who completed career exploration, career decisions, career self-efficacy, career barriers, career goals, and learning experience scales. The data were statistically analyzed using structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression analysis. The results showed that the career decision model for college athletes is an acceptable fit for the sample data. The results revealed that career goals, barriers, and exploration are key factors in college athletes’ career decision. Career barriers moderated the relationship between career self-efficacy and career goals. The research findings serve as a valuable reference for universities in developing career counseling strategies for athletes and validate that the CSM model can be applied to explain career decisions and processes across diverse cultural and ethnic groups.