The Benefit of Being Proactive: The Effect of Proactive Personality on Professional Identity Among Chinese College Students

Based on social cognitive career theory, this study constructs and empirically tests a double-mediation model to elucidate the effect of proactive personality on professional identity among Chinese college students. Additionally, it delves into the mediating mechanisms underlying future self-continuity and career calling in this relationship. This study employs a three-stage data collection strategy, collecting data from 382 college students at a normal university in China. Statistical analysis results show that the proactive personality of college students has a significant positive impact on their future self-continuity, career calling, and professional identity. Meanwhile, future self-continuity and career calling of college students both play a mediating role in the influence of proactive personality on professional identity. In conclusion, the results of this study provide the academic community with a new perspective to explain the relationship between proactive personality and professional identity and can also provide specific guidance for improving college students’ professional identity in practice.