A Phenomenological Study of Career Anxiety Among College Students

This study explored the phenomenon of career anxiety through a qualitative investigation of the experiences of 7 traditional‐aged college students who were in various stages of their undergraduate degree programs. Using Moustakas's () method of transcendental phenomenology, the authors conducte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Career development quarterly 2017-12, Vol.65 (4), p.339-352
Main Authors: Pisarik, Christopher T., Rowell, P. Clay, Thompson, Laura K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Anxiety
career anxiety
Career Choice
Career Counseling
Career Development
Career development planning
career indecision
Careers
College students
Counseling psychology
Decision making
Existentialism
Information seeking behavior
Phenomenological research
Phenomenology
Psychotherapy
Qualitative research
Research methodology
Vocational guidance
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Summary:This study explored the phenomenon of career anxiety through a qualitative investigation of the experiences of 7 traditional‐aged college students who were in various stages of their undergraduate degree programs. Using Moustakas's () method of transcendental phenomenology, the authors conducted in‐depth interviews to answer the following questions: (a) What are coresearchers’ (participants') experiences with the phenomenon of career anxiety? and (b) In what contexts do the coresearchers experience career anxiety? Seven themes emerged: general symptoms of anxiety, existential concerns, pressure, lack of career guidance, cognitive distortions, social comparisons, and economic/occupational uncertainty. The findings provide a contextual and developmental perspective on career‐related anxiety that can guide counselors in the implementation of interventions for reducing anxiety associated with career choice and development.
ISSN:0889-4019
2161-0045
DOI:10.1002/cdq.12112