The Mediating Role of Psychological Capital in Relationship between Career Path Adaptability with Entrepreneurial Intention in Secondary School Students

Maarefvand, Akram; Shafiabady, Abdollah; Zahrakar, Kianoosh

doi:10.22059/japr.2026.390843.645161

The Mediating Role of Psychological Capital in Relationship between Career Path Adaptability with Entrepreneurial Intention in Secondary School Students

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Akram Maarefvand ¹

Abdollah Shafiabady ²

Kianoosh Zahrakar ³

¹ Ph.D student, Department of Counseling, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

² Author Corresponding, Professor, Counseling Department, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran

³ Professor, Counseling Department, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

10.22059/japr.2026.390843.645161

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate mediating role of psychological capital in relationship between career path adaptability with entrepreneurial intention in secondary school students. This was descriptive-correlation research. The statistical population of the study was secondary school students who of Qom city in year academic 2023-2024. The sample size was selected based on Klein's model (2023) and with multistage random cluster sampling of 500 studtns. Data collection tools include the entrepreneurship intention questionnaire (EIQ), career adapt-abilities scale (SAAS) and psychological capital questionnaires (PCQ). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and structural equations modeling. The results showed direct effect of career path adaptability (β= 0.87 and sig=0.001) on entrepreneurial intention are significant. The results also showed that psychological capital has a significant mediating role in the relationship between career path adaptability (β = 0.65 and sig = 0.001) with entrepreneurial intention. Also, the final research model had a good fit (RMSEA=0.04, SRMR=0.06, p<0.05) and 88% of the variance of entrepreneurial intention is explained.

Keywords

career path adaptability

entrepreneurial intention

psychological capital