PARENTAL INFLUENCE ON VOCATIONAL CHOICE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

Transitioning to higher education represents a critical developmental milestone during Emerging Adulthood, where vocational decision-making and perceived family support play crucial roles in academic adjustment and psychological well-being. Grounded in Social Cognitive Career Theory and Self-Determination Theory, this quantitative, cross-sectional study evaluated students’ perceptions of parental influence on university course choice and its association with psychological well-being. The sample comprised 60 first-year undergraduate students from higher education institutions in the northern interior of Portugal (M = 18.98 years; 50% female). Data were collected using a sociodemographic/vocational questionnaire and the Psychological Well-Being Manifestation Measurement Scale (EMMBEP). Overall psychological well-being scores were moderate to high (M = 87.35, SD = 13.22). No statistically significant differences in psychological well-being were observed based on the primary reason for course selection or perceived parental support (p > .05). However, students considering a course change exhibited significantly lower scores in the Happiness and Self-Control/Mastery domains. The findings suggest that parental support functions as a contextual resource fostering autonomy, whereas perceived vocational mismatch impairs self-mastery and positive affect.