Influence of Resilience on Career Decision-Making Self-efficacy of Disadvantaged Students

This paper describes the influences of resilience on career decision-making self-efficacy of gifted students who are from low-income families. Although career preparation and goal setting of gifted students are associated with their successful career decision-making, not many studies have addressed the issue of low-income students’ enrollment and attainment to post-secondary education (Gardiner, 2014). Researchers who are interested in socio-emotional aspects of gifted students have recognized the concept of resilience as a way of encouraging low-income gifted students’ enrollment and attainment to post-secondary education. This study looks to prepare this population to make informed and fitted career decisions based on their unique abilities through the examination of influences of resilience on career decision-making self-efficacy. In this study of high-ability, disadvantaged middle school students, the regression analysis for predicting career decision-making self-efficacy from resilience was found to be statistically significant and career decision-making self-efficacy was predictable from the level of resilience of disadvantaged students. The results of this study suggest that supporting protective factors enhancing resilience helps disadvantaged students to have higher career decision-making self-efficacy.