2019 Volume 11 Issue 1 Pages 59-69
The purpose of this study was to test the effects of cognitive-behavioral factors on job-hunting anxiety in university students. 181 Japanese university students in their junior year (55 males and 125 females, mean age＝20.95 years, SD＝0.74 years) completed assessments of cognitive-behavioral factors including automatic thoughts, problem-solving skills, and social skills, as well as job-hunting anxiety. Negative automatic thoughts were positively related to several aspects of job-hunting anxiety. On the other hand, problem-solving skills and social skills were negatively related to relatively limited aspects of job-hunting anxiety. However, positive automatic thoughts were not related to any aspects of job-hunting anxiety. These results suggest that cognitive-behavioral therapy focused on modification of negative automatic thoughts, problem solving skills, and social skills may reduce job-hunting anxiety in university students. Meanwhile, interventions focusing only on increasing positive thinking may not be effective in reducing job-hunting anxiety.
