A mediation model based on the Psychology of Working Theory was proposed, placing career optimism as a mediator in the relationship between work volition and future decent work perceptions. Employing a sample of 380 Turkish undergraduate students, structural equation model results show that work volition is positively related to perceptions of future decent work and that career optimism mediates this relationship. In addition, results show that economic constraints are negatively related to perceptions of future decent work, and work volition and career optimism serially mediate this relationship. The present results provide preliminary evidence on the relationships of career optimism with economic constraints, work volition, and perceptions of future decent work and advance the Psychology of Working Theory-informed research. Specifically, we contribute to existing knowledge on the PWT model within non-Western contexts by illustrating the direct and indirect relationships of career optimism with economic constraints, work volition, and future decent work.
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