A Study on the Types of Career Values and Influencing Factors among Middle and High School Students through Latent Profile Analysis

This study aimed to identify the types of career values among middle and high school students in South Korea and to analyze the characteristics of influencing factors for each type. To achieve this, data from the respondents of the 5th(2022) Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey, were utilized. The sample sizes were 2,275 middle school students and 2,205 high school students. Latent profile analysis was conducted to derive types of career values, and a three-step approach was used to explore antecedent and outcome variables that influence these types. The main conclusions of the research are as follows. First, while the types of career values among middle and high school students showed similar patterns, there were differences in the proportion of the sample by group and the level of career values. Second, personal, school, and familial factors collectively have a significant impact on the types of career values among adolescents. Third, a group that values the social aspects represented by social contribution and honor was identified, and positive relations with various entities were shown to promote the likelihood of inclusion in this group. Based on these findings, the following suggestions are made. Improvements in career and vocational education are needed to allow adolescents to accurately recognize career values suitable for their characteristics and environment, and to conduct related career exploration.