Work is a significant determinant of mental health and well-being outcomes. The processes of career development are critical in finding and management of work trajectories that could lead to the well-being and other positive outcomes. Recent studies reveal that little attention has been given to psychological distress and much more emphasis on career development given to vocational outcomes (Dispenza, Brown &Chastain, 2016). Yet the latter is critical to the well-being and mental health of individuals in numerous ways. Psychological distress, for instance, may be revealed in the form of symptoms such as career indecision, overall functioning, career adjustment, and anxiety disorders. If left untreated, ignored, or not properly addressed in counseling, psychological distress related to career development could result in a downward trend of mental health. Additionally, psychosocial development is as well critical for work and academic performance. Therefore, if an individual has distress related to career whether at school or place of work, their mental health and well-being are sequentially affected.
Notably, career and mental health have inversely proportional effects on one another. Hinkelman & Luzzo (2007) reveal that psychosocial development for college students who are trying to establish their careers revolves around the management of relationships and emotions, development of identity, and purpose among other factors. These factors have a big impact both at the workplace and in college; places for critical career development. The development of identity, for instance, is critical in mental health. Furthermore, research reveals that having a stable identity and choosing a career is very important for adolescents. The more identity a person has, the more they are likely to be mentally healthy. Mental health and career development are related. Therefore education institutions should provide mental and health services for college students.
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References
Dispenza, F., Brown, C., & Chastain, T. E. (2016). Minority stress across the career-lifespan trajectory. Journal of Career Development , 43 (2), 103-115.
Hinkelman, J. M., & Luzzo, D. A. (2007). Mental health and career development of college students. Journal of Counseling & Development , 85 (2), 143-147.
