Parent–Child Relationship,Career-Related Parenting,and Adolescent Career Development: A Cross-Lagged Panel Network Analysis Informed by the Family Systems Perspective

Abstract

Prior research has consistently identified associations between career-related parental processes and adolescent career development. However, little is known about how various related but distinct parental processes may constitute a complex psychological network to dynamically shape adolescent career development over time. Using three-wave longitudinal data from 1,944 Chinese adolescents (M_age = 15.54 years old at the first wave, SD = .42; 55.1% female) across their senior high school years (i.e., 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th grades), this study adopted the family systems perspective and used cross-lagged panel network analysis to examine the associations of career-related parental processes, mother–child relationship, and father–child relationship with adolescent career adaptability and ambivalence. Career concern was a core adaptive resources that exerted influences on other adaptability dimensions across high school years. Father–child relationship was linked to parental support and parent–child career congruence across waves. Career confidence was influenced by other adaptive resources in the network from 10^th to 11^th grades, whereas it became a key resource that could trigger gaining of other types of career adaptive resources from 11^th to 12^th grades. Child-driven effects were also observed, such that adolescent career concern at 11^th grade predicted parental career expectations in the subsequent year.