Perceived teacher support predicts career exploration among Chinese university students: A moderated mediation model

This work examined the relationship between perceived teacher support and career exploration among university students in China, and tested the mediating effect of future work self-salience and the moderating effect of proactive personality. We employed a two-wave longitudinal design to survey 346 Chinese university students, assessing perceived teacher support at Time 1, and measuring future work self-salience, proactive personality, and career exploration approximately 7 weeks later at Time 2. We found positive correlations among perceived teacher support, future work self-salience, proactive personality, and career exploration.  These results reveal the mechanism through which teacher support influences the career development of university students, highlighting the impact of individual traits on career development. Our results provide valuable insights for talent cultivation and career guidance in higher education institutions.