3385 - DESIGNING A PERMACIRCULAR CAREER GUIDANCE APPROACH: APPLYING SEN'S CAPABILITY THEORY TO CAREER GUIDANCE PSYCHOLOGY

Session: 3380 - HOW COULD VOCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY CONTRIBUTE TO THE NECESSARY TRANSFORMATION TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE WORLD?
AUTHORS:
Garin Sandrine (CNAM ~ Paris ~ France) , Terriot Katia (CNAM ~ Paris ~ France) , Bessonneau Pascal (CNAM ~ Paris ~ France) , Cohen-Scali Valérie (CNAM ~ Paris ~ France)
Abstract text:
The latest IPBES (2024) report highlights the interconnection between human health and planetary health, known as the Nexus. Meanwhile, research has raised alarms about both the degradation of nature's health (IPCC, 2023) and the mental health crisis affecting young people (HSBC, 2022). Among the numerous benefits of positive mental health, one is its role in fostering informed career choices (Lauzier, Côté, & Samson, 2015).
Sen's Capability Approach (1992, 2000) offers a relevant framework : an individual is free to choose when they have access to an enabling environment (social, material, etc.) that fosters their agency. In this perspective, individuals develop the capability to choose by leveraging their own resources (physical and psychological). Among the ten central capabilities proposed by Nussbaum (2012), the capability to live in symbiosis with other living beings is particularly relevant.
This study adopts a quantitative and systemic approach to analyze the freedom to choose one's future, incorporating the concept of planetary health (Whitmee et al., 2015). A total of 304 high school and university students responded to a questionnaire focusing on their perception of parental support (Dangoisse & Nils, 2019) and decent education (Duffy et al., 2020; Terriot, 2019). Individual resources were examined through the lens of vocational identity (Lannegrand & Perchec, 2016), which refers to self-awareness and personal interests. Finally, self-determination was assessed as an expression of the capability to autonomously choose one's career path (Brasselet & Guerrien, 2019).
An exploratory classification analysis identified five distinct profiles. One group stood out due to its higher scores in integrating planetary health into career choices (V.test = 5.87) and career flexibility (V.test = 5.22). Notably, women were overrepresented in this group.
This study invites further discussion on the freedom of young people in career decision-making, introducing the concept of sustainable commitment, also referred to as eco-generativity (Di Fabio & Svicher, 2023a).