Relational support dynamics and career decision status in higher education: Implications for student development and educational change

Abstract

Understanding how social relationships shape students’ transitions from education to work is critical for supporting human development within higher education systems. This study investigates how three dimensions of social support (perceived, received, and provided) relate to undergraduate students’ career decision status, including both decision-making and implementation. Survey and peer network data were collected from 191 students across four university classes. Perceived support was assessed for family and friends, while received and provided support were captured through classroom peer networks. Logistic regression analyses indicate that providing instrumental support was consistently associated with higher odds of achieving key indicators of career decision status. In contrast, providing affective support was linked to lower odds of successful outcomes, suggesting that emotional labor may constrain students’ career management capacities. Perceived family support was positively associated with students’ ability to manage expectations, whereas perceived friend support showed limited effects. The results highlight the differential influence of support types and sources, revealing that received support plays a less consistent role than support provision. The study contributes to understanding how relational dynamics shape students’ career development in higher education and discusses implications for educational practices aimed at strengthening student support systems.