The Relationship Between Ego-Identity and Career Adaptability Among Middle-Aged Men: The Sequential Mediating Effects of Meaning of Work and Career Resilience
AUTHOR : 김학환, 장유진
INFORMATION : page. 81~98 / 2025 Vol.32 No.4
ABSTRACT
This study aims to examine the mediating effects of meaning of work and career resilience on the relationship between ego-identity and career adaptability among middle-aged men. A total of 424 men aged 40 to 59 participated in an online self-report survey. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics 21.0 and SPSS PROCESS macro 3.3. The results revealed the following: First, meaning of work partially mediated the relationship between ego-identity and career adaptability. Second, career resilience also partially mediated this relationship. Third, meaning of work and career resilience sequentially mediated the relationship between ego-identity and career adaptability. These findings suggest that higher levels of ego-identity among middle-aged men lead to deeper perceptions of meaning in work, which in turn strengthen career resilience and ultimately enhance career adaptability. This study contributes empirical evidence to the relatively underexplored area of career adaptability in middle-aged men in South Korea, and provides practical implications for counseling interventions to support career transition in this population.