The present study examined the effects of self-regulation and career decision
making self-efficacy on intellectually disabled adolescents’ career exploration, focusing
on the moderating effects of sex and degree of disability on the relationships. The
subjects were 119 intellectually disabled adolescents attending special schools or
special classes located at Daejeon Metropolitan City, Jeollabuk-do, and Gangwon-do,
who completed questionnaires on career exploration, self-regulation, and career
decision making self-efficacy. The data were analyzed by means of descriptive
statistics and hierarchical regressions. The results of this study were as follows.
First, intellectually disabled male adolescents showed a higher level of career
exploration(intended-systematic exploration, environment exploration, self-exploration)
than female ones did. Additionally, the lower the degree of disability of adolescents,
the higher the level of career exploration. On the other hand, intellectually disabled
adolescents’ self-regulation and career decision making self-efficacy exerted positive
effects on their career exploration. Secondly, intellectually disabled adolescents’ sex
moderated the relationships between self-regulation and career decision making
self-efficacy, and career exploration. Specifically, intellectually disabled adolescents’
self-regulation had a greater influence on intended-systematic exploration and
self-exploration, when the adolescents’ sex was female. Further, intellectually disabled
adolescents’ career decision making self-efficacy had a greater influence on
intended-systematic exploration and self-exploration, when the adolescents’ sex was
male. Finally, based on the results, we suggested the future direction of career
exploration program in the field depending on adolescents’ sex.