The relationship between family socioeconomic status and cultural background on the career self-determination of Chinese and Kazakhstani students

IntroductionThe primary objective of this quantitative cross-cultural study is to precisely investigate how multi-dimensional objective family capital, subjective social status, and cultural values are jointly associated with the career agency of youth. Career self-determination is crucial for youth development, yet the factors associated with it are culturally specific. Grounded in Self-Determination and Social Cognitive Career Theories, this study aims to explore these complex relationships.MethodsThis study examines the interplay of family socioeconomic status (SES) and cultural values regarding the career self-determination of 1,020 students in China and Kazakhstan via a structured survey. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM), multi-group comparisons, and relative weight analysis (RWA).ResultsKey findings reveal a significant structural difference in the association of family capital, rooted in differing national contexts (involutionary competition vs. reliance on relational networks). For Chinese youth, economic capital is the primary factor associated with career self-determination, whereas for Kazakhstani youth, social capital is paramount. Furthermore, the study establishes that subjective social class perception acts as a key psychological mediator in the relationship between objective family capital and career self-determination. While traditional values exhibit a direct negative association with self-determination across both cultures, they do not moderate the SES association.DiscussionThese findings enrich career development theories by highlighting their contextual boundaries in non-Western transitional societies and offer vital, culturally-sensitive guidance for youth career counseling policy within the “Belt and Road” initiative.