Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019
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Date of Graduation
Spring 2018
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Department
Department of Psychology
Advisor(s)
David E. Szwedo
Kenneth E. Barron
Jaime L. Kurtz
Abstract
Trait anxiety, anxious arousal, rejection sensitivity, and implicit feelings of rejection in adolescence were examined as predictors of long-term career performance, satisfaction, success, and ambition. Personality traits such as conscientiousness and grit, as well as coping and emotion regulation skills were analyzed as potential moderating variables. Anxious arousal and rejection sensitivity were predicted to be more strongly associated with negative career outcomes, and coping skills were predicted to be more effective in diminishing negative consequences of anxiety. Multi-reporter data were obtained from 184 teens at ages 17-19 and 26-27, and 27-29. Trait anxiety was the only anxiety variable to correlate significantly with negative occupational outcomes. Trait anxiety predicted lower ambition, job satisfaction, and career satisfaction after controlling for the effects of gender and income in hierarchical regressions. Trait anxiety, as well as anxious arousal, had multiple significant interactions with occupational outcomes. Coping skills had main effects with several occupational outcomes including ambition, work performance, and job satisfaction after controlling for each subtype of anxiety; however, no significant interactions were found. Instead, emotion regulation played an important role in four interactions between anxiety and occupational outcomes. Limitations and implications of the findings are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Chandra, Cerella, "Interactions between anxiety subtypes, personality characteristics, and emotional regulation skills as predictors of future career outcomes" (2018). Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019. 611.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/honors201019/611
