The Ability to Manage Unexpected Events and the Vocational Identity in Young People: The Italian Validation of Planned Happenstance Career Inventory

Luigia Simona Sica; Michela Ponticorvo; Tiziana Di Palma

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.899411

The Ability to Manage Unexpected Events and the Vocational Identity in Young People: The Italian Validation of Planned Happenstance Career Inventory

Front Psychol. 2022 Jun 30:13:899411. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.899411. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Luigia Simona Sica¹, Michela Ponticorvo¹, Tiziana Di Palma¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Humanistic Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.

Abstract

The present study had two goals: to test the validity of Planned Happenstance Career Inventory (PHCI) in the Italian context and to explore the relations between PHC skills and vocational identity processes within a sample of 472 undergraduate students attending university in the southern of Italy. Moreover, we examined relations between the PHCI and measures of vocational identity processes. With regard to the first goal, results show that for the Italian version of the instrument was confirmed the multifactor structure of the original version. The multi-group analyses showed that invariance between genders is supported. Convergent validity and divergent validity of the measure were reported. Concerning the second goal, the skills of planned happenstance show different associations with Vocational Identity Dimensions. As hypothesized, the exploration and commitment dimensions of vocational identity status are positive related to Planned Happenstance Skills. These findings suggest implications for career guidance and counseling.

Keywords: Italian validation; career inventory; planned happenstance; vocational identity; young people.