Personality and career decision-making self-efficacy of students from poor rural areas in China

We examined the correlations between personality and career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) of university students from poor rural areas in China from an educational equity perspective. The results showed that female (vs. male) students were more neurotic, senior (vs. younger) students were more agreeable, and social science students were more neurotic than those in other disciplines. The results also revealed that differences in the total CDMSE were nonsignificant, but there was a gender difference in accurate self-appraisal and a difference by year of study in gathering information. There was a positive correlation between conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness, and extraversion, and CDMSE, and a negative correlation between neuroticism and CDMSE. The 5 personality traits, except for agreeableness, played a crucial role in predicting CDMSE. The results suggest that officials and staff of governments, universities, and industries should work together to develop proactive personality traits of students from poor rural areas in China, facilitate their CDMSE, and help them achieve their employment aspirations, thereby promoting educational equity.