Career Self-Efficacy of School and University Students: A Systematic Review of Individual and Contextual Antecedents

Abstract

Abstract This article presents a systematic review of research on the antecedents of career self-efficacy among school and university students. Drawing on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), the review focuses on how individual characteristics and contextual conditions jointly shape students’ beliefs in their ability to explore options, make decisions and pursue preferred career pathways. A PRISMA-guided search of Scopus, Web of Science, Emerald and EBSCO identified 48 empirical studies published between 1995 and 2025 that examined career self-efficacy or closely related constructs among secondary and higher education students. Data were extracted using a structured coding template and synthesized thematically. The findings show that individual antecedents encompass both relatively stable traits (e.g., curiosity, persistence, openness to experience, emotional stability) and malleable psychological resources (e.g., emotional regulation, selfesteem, career adaptability, perceived person–environment fit). Contextual antecedents include social support from parents, teachers, counsellors and peers; structured career interventions such as courses, workshops and experiential programmes; and wider socio-demographic and structural factors related to social class, gender, ethnicity and migration background. Across studies, career self-efficacy is unevenly distributed, reflecting broader patterns of opportunity and constraint. The review reinforces and refines SCCT by demonstrating that contextual supports and barriers operate as proximal determinants of self-efficacy alongside individual resources, and by highlighting psychological resources as mechanisms linking structure and agency. It identifies major gaps in the literature, including limited longitudinal and intersectional research, narrow geographical coverage and short-term evaluations of interventions. The article concludes by outlining implications for theory and practice and by calling for multi-level strategies that combine individual-focused support with efforts to address structural inequalities in education and career guidance.