Parental emotional support and career exploration: The moderating role of intrinsic motivation

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Abstract
Although previous research has shown relationships between parental emotional support and career exploration, how this support interacts with students’ motivational processes remains unclear. This study examines the moderating role of intrinsic motivation in the relationship between parental emotional support and career exploration, using a sample of high school students. Regression and moderation analyses revealed that intrinsic motivation negatively moderates the relationship between parental emotional support and environmental exploration. The study extends the contribution of Self-Determination Theory to the vocational domain, showing how motivation quality shapes the impact of contextual factors on exploratory behavior. These findings highlight the importance of considering differences in motivational functioning when analyzing the influence of parents’ support in career processes. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, particularly regarding parents’ involvement in their children’s career development.

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