The antecedents of career decision self-efficacy: a meta-analysis on 20 years of research

PurposeThis study aims to examine the antecedents of career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) and provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors that influence this critical construct in career development and decision-making.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a meta-analysis of 43 independent studies, comprising 90 correlations and 17,143 participants. The Hunter-Schmidt method meta-analysis was used to analyze the data and identify the factors associated with CDSE. Random-effect meta-regression analysis was applied to detect the potential moderators.FindingsThe study found that CDSE is positively associated with social support (ρ = 0.41), age (ρ = 0.05), agreeableness (ρ = 0.23), conscientiousness (ρ = 0.48), emotional intelligence (ρ = 0.48), extraversion (ρ = 0.41), openness (ρ = 0.35) and proactive personality (ρ = 0.68), while negatively related to neuroticism (ρ = −0.33). Furthermore, the results indicate that sample gender (%female) and mean age partially moderate the relationship between CDSE and age, core-self evaluations and neuroticism.Originality/valueIn this study, the authors have contributed significantly to the existing research on CDSE antecedents by conducting a thorough analysis of the various factors associated with this critical construct. The findings offer an accurate understanding of the factors that influence CDSE, and this paper's moderation analysis sheds light on the boundary conditions in the CDSE literature. Moreover, this research has practical implications for practitioners such as teachers, parents and career counselors. By leveraging the insights gained from this study, practitioners can provide more effective career support and intervention to young people, which can help increase their CDSE and improve their overall career development and well-being.