1. Introduction Results Hypotheses Discussion Method
Moderators of Longitudinal Associations between Anxiety and Future Career Satisfaction
Gabrielle Hunt1, Maddison Miles2, David E. Szwedo2, & Joseph P. Allen1 University of Virginia1 & James Madison University2
We would like to thank the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development for funding awarded to Joseph P. Allen, Principal Investigator,
(R01 HD & R01-MH58066) for funding to conduct this study as well as for the write-up of this study.
Introduction
Measures
Autonomy and Relatedness (age 13) Assessed using the Autonomy & Relatedness Observational Coding Scheme during an 8 minute interaction between the teen and the mom or friend discussing an issue they disagreed on, such as money, grades, household rules, friends, or siblings.
Anxiety (age 21) Assessed using the state-trait anxiety inventory, a self-report measure of stable individual differences in anxiety proneness.
Functional Independence (age 24) Assessed using the Young Adult Adjustment Scale, a measure of the teen’s functioning based on the teen’s best friend’s views of the teen’s ability to be responsible and financially independent.
Career Satisfaction (age 27) Assessed using a self-report measure of general satisfaction with career and the extent to which the employee has made satisfactory progress toward goals for income level, advancement and skill development.
Figure 1. Anxiety and functional independence as moderators of career satisfaction.
Research suggests that anxiety can significantly impede career satisfaction. When every interaction with co-workers, bosses and customers is tinged with social anxiety, the workplace can be a difficult area in which to thrive. Indeed, individuals with anxiety disorders experience decreased workplace functioning and are more than twice as likely to be unemployed than others in the general population (Moitra et al., 2011).
Importantly, peers and parents may play a crucial role in the development of independence and, subsequently, successful future careers paths for youth. For example, mother and peer relatedness are significant predictors of environment exploration, budding independence, and career commitment (Felsman & Blustien, 1999).
This study seeks to examine both the developmental link between adolescent anxiety and future career satisfaction as well as how peer and parental relatedness may foster a path to independence that can serve as a buffer to workplace anxiety.
Results
Figure 2. Adolescent autonomy and relatedness as a predictor of functional independence.
Correlations between primary variables are presented in Table 1 below. Correlations suggested a negative association between anxiety and career satisfaction, and a positive association between functional independence and career satisfaction. Notably, there was no correlation between anxiety and functional independence.
Multiple regression analyses were conducted controlling for gender and family income to assess anxiety, functional independence, and their interaction, as predictors of career satisfaction (see Figure 1).
Additional analyses sought to determine early adolescent predictors of functional independence but did not reveal any significant findings with mothers’ positive autonomy and relatedness behaviors. Significant effects were found with the best friends’ positive autonomy and relatedness behavior, as shown in Figure 2.
Hypotheses
Individuals who are more anxious will report lower future career satisfaction during early adulthood.
Greater functional independence in early adulthood will predict higher future career satisfaction.
Functional independence will moderate the association between anxiety and career satisfaction such that anxious individuals who are more functionally independent will report greater career satisfaction as compared to individuals who are less functionally-independent.
Functional independence will be predicted by parent and peer autonomy and relatedness behaviors in early adolescence, suggesting potential pathways to such independence in adulthood.
Discussion
Table 1. Univariate statistics and intercorrelations between primary constructs.
Mean (SD) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1. Income
43,618 (22,420) -
2. Gender
47% male
-0.11
3. Youth Pos A/R to
Friend (13)
2.38 (0.68)
0.29***
-0.06
4. Friend Pos A/R to
Youth (13)
2.36 (0.65)
0.73***
5. Mom Pos A/R to
2.49 (0.41)
0.37***
-0.1
0.28**
0.19
6. Youth Pos A/R to
Mom (13)
1.84 (0.53)
0.36***
-0.03
0.25**
0.32***
0.41***
7. Trait Anxiety (21)
36.8
(9.79)
0.12
-0.00
0.08
0.05
-0.01
8. Functional
Independence (24)
20.2
(4.47)
-0.07
0.35***
0.31***
0.11
0.04
-0.09
9. Career
Satisfaction (27)
17.8
(5.70)
0.02
0.14
-0.22**
0.22*
Young adults with low anxiety will have higher career satisfaction in adulthood than young adults with high anxiety.
Young adults with high anxiety may experience greater career satisfaction in the future if they are also highly functionally independent.
Although it was predicted that both mother and peer positive autonomy and relatedness would predict high functional independence, only the peer variable significantly predicted functional independence in the future. These results show the importance of forming positive peer relationships that model autonomy early on in adolescence as a form of attachment that can help young adults become independent, and therefore have a more satisfying career even when facing challenges such as anxiety.
Method
Participants: N=184
Assessed at age 13 with follow-up data at ages 21, 24 & 27
Gender: 86 males, 98 females
Race/ethnicity: 63% Caucasian, 27% African American, 14% mixed race or other race/ethnicities
Baseline median family income: $40,000-$59,000