Options
Academic stress, employment anxiety, and future work self in Hong Kong undergraduates
Author(s)
Date Issued
2026
Conference
Citation
Xie, Y. H. & Chan, C. Y. (2026). Academic stress, employment anxiety, and future work self in Hong Kong undergraduates. 2026 Asian Conference on Applied Psychology.
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
Background: University students in Hong Kong experience substantial stress from academic
demands and a competitive job market. Although academic stress has been linked to higher
employment anxiety, its relationship with Future Work Self Salience (FWSS), the clarity of
one’s future work identity, remains underexplored. Moreover, little is known about whether
psychological resilience mediates these relationships. This proposed study therefore aims
to examine the relationships among academic stress, employment anxiety, and FWSS, with
psychological resilience as a mediator.
Methods: This study will use a cross-sectional, quantitative design. A convenience sample of approximately 250 undergraduate students from Hong Kong universities will be recruited to complete an online questionnaire. Validated scales will measure academic stress (CSSS), future work self-salience (5-item Chinese FWSS scale), employment anxiety (EAS), and psychological resilience (CD-RISC 10). Data will be analysed using descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and moderated mediation analysis (PROCESS Model 7) with bootstrapping.
Anticipated Results: It is hypothesized that academic stress will be positively associated with both employment anxiety and future work self-salience. Psychological resilience is expected to partially mediate these relationships, such that higher academic stress may be associated with lower psychological resilience, which in turn may be related to greater employment anxiety and changes in Future Work Self Salience (FWSS).
Significance / Implications: If the anticipated results are confirmed, the findings will extend research on FWSS to the Hong Kong context and contribute to the integration of stress and career development perspectives. The study may inform university career support and mental health initiatives by underscoring the role of psychological resilience in helping students cope with academic and career-related pressures.
Methods: This study will use a cross-sectional, quantitative design. A convenience sample of approximately 250 undergraduate students from Hong Kong universities will be recruited to complete an online questionnaire. Validated scales will measure academic stress (CSSS), future work self-salience (5-item Chinese FWSS scale), employment anxiety (EAS), and psychological resilience (CD-RISC 10). Data will be analysed using descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and moderated mediation analysis (PROCESS Model 7) with bootstrapping.
Anticipated Results: It is hypothesized that academic stress will be positively associated with both employment anxiety and future work self-salience. Psychological resilience is expected to partially mediate these relationships, such that higher academic stress may be associated with lower psychological resilience, which in turn may be related to greater employment anxiety and changes in Future Work Self Salience (FWSS).
Significance / Implications: If the anticipated results are confirmed, the findings will extend research on FWSS to the Hong Kong context and contribute to the integration of stress and career development perspectives. The study may inform university career support and mental health initiatives by underscoring the role of psychological resilience in helping students cope with academic and career-related pressures.
Availability at HKSYU Library
