Gender Differences in STEM Students' Perfectionism, Career Search Self‐Efficacy, and Perception of Career Barriers

The purpose of this study was to explore potential gender differences in the mediating effect of career search self‐efficacy between 2 dimensions of perfectionism (adaptive and maladaptive) and the perception of career barriers. A total of 279 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics undergraduate students participated in the study. Among men, but not women, career search self‐efficacy mediated the relationships between both dimensions of perfectionism and the perception of career barriers. Implications for counselors and future research directions are discussed.