University career development scale: Confirmatory study with portuguese students

Abstract

Contemporaneity, characterized by a flexible and competitive job market, requires that young people, namely college students, are able to manage their careers. For career professionals to be able to help young people, valid and reliable instruments are needed to evaluate career behaviors, such as adaptative responses. This study sought to analyze the psychometric properties of the University Career Development Scale on a sample of Portuguese college students. Participants included 216 students divided into two sub-samples: sub-sample A with 111 students aged 19-36 (M = 22.67, SD = 2.56), and sub-sample B with 105 students aged 19-36 (M = 22.42, SD = 2.08). Exploratory factor analyses indicate penta-factorial solution, with good internal consistency, after eliminating four items. Confirmatory factor analyses indicate a moderately acceptable fit for the penta-factorial model. Further psychometric studies with the measure are necessary.