이공계 대학원생·연구원의 지각된 진로장벽 요인이 진로결정자기효능감을 통해 진로성숙도에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study was to empirically examine the effects of perceived career barriers on career maturity among STEM graduate students and researchers, with a particular focus on the mediating role of career decision self-efficacy. The study analyzed data from 1,000 STEM graduate students and researchers affiliated with universities across South Korea, drawn from the 2024 KIRD Survey on Human Resource Development Activities in Science and Technology. Perceived career barriers, career decision self-efficacy, and career maturity were measured using established scales. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify the subfactors of perceived career barriers, and the PROCESS macro was employed to test both direct and mediating effects. The results indicated that personal barriers had a negative effect on career decision self-efficacy and also exerted a direct negative effect on career maturity. Career decision self-efficacy was found to partially mediate the relationship between personal barriers and career maturity. In contrast, social barriers and task-related barriers did not exhibit direct effects on career maturity; however, both showed full mediation through career decision self-efficacy. Overall, the findings demonstrate that perceived career barriers influence career maturity through distinct pathways depending on barrier type, and that career decision self-efficacy functions as a central psychological mechanism in the career development of STEM graduate students and researchers. Based on these results, the study proposes strategies for addressing different types of career barriers and enhancing career decision self-efficacy to support the career development of STEM talent.