MEDIATING ROLE OF PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' RESEARCH SKILLS BETWEEN CAREER CURIOSITY AND WELL BEING

Abstract

The career-related curiosity of elementary school students before transitioning to high school may substantially affect their emotional and psychological well-being. Research skills developed during this period can fulfill curiosity and enhance overall well-being. This study investigated how research skills mediate the relationship between career-related curiosity and the emotional-psychological well-being of elementary school students. This study was conducted using a quantitative correlational research design to examine the relationships between career curiosity, research skills, and emotional‑psychological well-being among elementary school students. The sample consisted of 286 students aged 9 to 14 from a district in Istanbul, Türkiye. Data were gathered using the Personal Information Form, the Stirling Children’s Emotional-Psychological Well-being Scale, and the Career Development Scale for Children. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were used to inform structural equation modeling, which was used to evaluate the proposed mediation model. The results indicated that career-related curiosity (independent variable) directly influenced emotional-psychological well-being (dependent variable), with an indirect effect fully mediated by research skills (mediator variable). However, when research skills were included in the model, this direct effect became statistically no significant, demonstrating a full mediation effect. In other words, research skills entirely mediated the relationship between career-related curiosity and emotional‑psychological well-being. The study's findings are analyzed in the context of current literature, with suggestions for educational practices and implications for school counselling and career guidance.

Keywords: Career curiosity, research skills, well-being, primary school student.

Ethics and Conflict of Interest

This study was conducted in accordance with the principles of ethical research and the Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical approval was obtained from the İstanbul Sabahattin Zaim Üniversitesi Ethics Committee (Approval Date: 28/07/2023, Decision No: 2023/07). In addition, the necessary permissions to conduct the study in schools were obtained from the relevant educational authorities affiliated with the Ministry of National Education. Since all participants were under the age of 16, written informed consent was obtained from their parents or legal guardians, and voluntary assent was obtained from the students themselves. Participants were informed about the purpose of the study and their right to withdraw from the study at any time without penalty. All collected data were kept confidential, anonymized during analysis, and used solely for scientific research purposes in accordance with data protection and privacy regulations. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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 About the Authors:

Kamil Arif KIRKIÇ, Assoc. Prof. Dr.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kamil Arif Kırkıç is a faculty member in the Department of Educational Sciences, Division of Curriculum and Instruction, at the Faculty of Education, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University. His academic work focuses on teacher education, teacher professional development, researcher teacher identity, curricula, quality assurance in higher education, accreditation, and the improvement of teaching-learning processes. He has published in national and international journals and conducted research on topics such as teaching methods, program development & evaluation, quality assurance & accreditation research, teaching quality in higher education, school achievement, learning and teaching, learning motivation, and artificial intelligence in education. He plays an active role in center activities aimed at enhancing the quality of teaching and learning at the university, contributing to academic development programs, faculty professional development, and quality-focused institutional improvement processes.

Osman SÖNER, Assoc. Prof. Dr.

Assoc. Prof. Osman Söner is a faculty member in the Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling at İstanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Türkiye. He received his doctoral degree in Guidance and Psychological Counseling and conducts research in school counseling, career counseling, child and adolescent mental health, gifted education, positive youth development, and artificial intelligence applications in counseling. His recent studies focus on career development, psychological resilience, emotional regulation, parenting practices, and technology-assisted psychological interventions. Dr. Söner has published articles in national and international journals and actively participates in interdisciplinary research projects and academic collaborations.