Psychosocial Pathways to Achievement Behavior in Higher Education: The Interplay of Social Support, Self-Efficacy, and Career Decision-Making

Abstract

This study examined the relationships of social support, career decision-making, and self-efficacy with achievement behavior among university students in Pakistan. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed with a sample of 343 students from the University of Gujrat. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including correlation and multiple regression analyses. The findings showed that career decision-making significantly predicted achievement behavior (β = .397, p < .001), as did self-efficacy (β = .495, p < .001). The lack of a statistically significant unique contribution by social support for achievement behavior (β = .021, p = .584) suggests that social support was not a significant independent factor when compared to personal factors. The overall regression model between the given independent variables and the model variable was statistically significant, F(3, 339) = 211.386, p < .001. The results point to the significance of career decision-making and self-efficacy to better elucidate students' achievement behaviors, suggesting that social support should be further explored. Limitations were that the study was cross-sectional and participants were only from one university.