Contemporary Chinese vocational interest scale in the digital age: development and validation

John Holland's RIASEC model has significantly influenced career counseling and vocational assessment. However, its applicability in contemporary China is limited due to cultural factors and the rapid advancements of the fourth industrial revolution, which have led to the emergence of numerous new occupations. Many occupational titles and tasks within the RIASEC model are now outdated. This study aims to develop and validate a contemporary Chinese vocational interest scale that accounts for these cultural and technological shifts. The study's importance lies in its potential to provide a more accurate and relevant assessment tool for Chinese students navigating educational and career choices in the digital age. The lack of suitable, localized instruments currently hampers effective career guidance in China, underscoring the need for this research. By updating the existing framework and incorporating emerging occupation types, this study directly addresses a critical gap in the field of career development in China. The focus on middle school students is crucial because this age group is at a critical juncture for making educational and career decisions that will have a lasting impact on their futures.

The study reviewed existing research on Holland's RIASEC model within the Chinese context, analyzing findings from four previous studies on vocational interest types. These studies revealed both convergent and divergent findings regarding the applicability of Holland's six types in China. Some types were consistently found (Investigative, Artistic, Social, Conventional, and a type corresponding to Realistic, often relabeled as Technological or Operational), while others were either modified or added to better capture the nuances of vocational interests in the Chinese cultural context. The existing research highlighted the need for a more nuanced model that accounts for cultural values and the changing occupational landscape. The reviewed studies served as a foundation for the current research, informing the selection and development of the new nine-type model presented in this paper.

The study utilized a two-phase approach involving item generation, participant recruitment, data collection, and statistical analysis. In the item generation phase, existing items from previous research were reviewed and revised, removing outdated items and adding new ones to reflect the current Chinese occupational landscape, particularly regarding technological occupations. New items were crafted based on the 2022 General Code of Occupational Classification of the People's Republic of China, with a focus on emerging digital occupations. These items were refined through expert review by psychometric professionals and psychology students to ensure clarity, suitability, and readability. The final item pool consisted of 135 items across nine subscales (15 items per subscale). The study's participants were 1332 middle school students from Shandong Province, China. After excluding participants with patterned responses, failed attention checks, or excessive missing data, the final sample consisted of 1255 students. These participants were randomly divided into two subsamples: sample A (N = 628) for item reduction and exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and sample B (N = 627) for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and convergent validity assessment. Each participant completed the 135-item scale and the Self-Directed Search (SDS-Form E) for convergent validity. Item analysis was conducted using independent sample t-tests to remove items with poor discriminant validity. EFA was performed on each subscale separately using principal axis factoring. Items were removed based on factor loadings and the minimum number of items per factor. Finally, CFA was conducted using Mplus 8.0 to evaluate the factor structure and assess model fit. Convergent validity was assessed by examining the correlations between the new scale and the SDS-Form E.

The item analysis resulted in the removal of several items based on poor discriminant validity, leading to a reduced scale of 129 items. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) supported the nine-subscale structure, with items loading strongly onto their respective factors. The final scale comprised 70 items: Artistic (8 items), Natural (8 items), Enterprising (8 items), Conventional (7 items), Technological (9 items), Investigative (7 items), Powerful (8 items), Social (7 items), and Operational (8 items). Cronbach's alpha values for the subscales exceeded 0.70, indicating good internal consistency reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the nine-factor structure, with acceptable model fit indices. The CFA results demonstrated that the nine-factor model fitted the data well. The correlations between the subscales of the new scale and corresponding subscales of the SDS-Form E provided evidence of convergent validity. Specifically, strong correlations were observed between the Artistic, Investigative, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional subscales of the new scale and their corresponding subscales in the SDS-Form E. These findings support the validity and reliability of the newly developed Contemporary Chinese Vocational Interest Scale in the digital age.

The findings of this study successfully addressed the research question by developing and validating a contemporary Chinese vocational interest scale tailored to the digital age. The nine-factor structure, incorporating both established and novel vocational interest types, provides a more comprehensive and culturally relevant assessment tool than previously available instruments. The strong psychometric properties of the scale, including reliability and validity, suggest its suitability for use in educational and career counseling settings. The inclusion of the 'Technological' and 'Powerful' interest types reflects the evolving occupational landscape in China, providing valuable insights into the career aspirations of Chinese students. The results contribute significantly to the field by offering a culturally adapted and contemporary measurement tool for vocational interests in China, addressing the scarcity of such instruments. The scale's potential to assist in career decision-making and educational planning is a crucial contribution to the advancement of career guidance and support in China.

This study makes several key contributions: it clarifies the types of vocational interests prevalent in Chinese culture; it successfully develops and validates a contemporary vocational interest scale suitable for the digital age; and it provides a much-needed assessment tool for educational choice and career counseling within China. Future research should investigate the scale's applicability across diverse age groups and conduct longitudinal studies to examine the stability and change of vocational interests over time. Further explorations into the scale’s predictive validity regarding academic achievement, job satisfaction, and career success are also warranted.

The study's sample was limited to middle school students in Shandong Province, China, potentially limiting the generalizability of the findings to other regions or age groups. While convergent validity was assessed with the SDS-Form E, additional indicators of convergent validity, such as academic performance and later career outcomes, would strengthen the interpretation of the findings. The cross-sectional nature of the study limits the ability to draw conclusions about the longitudinal stability of the identified vocational interest types.