Childhood Socioeconomic Status and Its Impact on College Students’ Career Adaptability: The Mediating Role of Delayed Gratification

Childhood socioeconomic status plays an indispensable role in an individual’s developmental journey, with its profound and intricate impact. Drawing inspiration from the theory of delayed gratification, this study delves into how childhood socioeconomic status influences career adaptability. Introducing an intermediate model, it meticulously examines the mediating effect of delayed gratification. Through a detailed survey of 4676 Chinese college students, the findings reveal the following: (1) Childhood socioeconomic status significantly and positively influences the rationality of career adaptability among college students; (2) Delayed gratification acts as a mediator in the complex relationship between childhood socioeconomic status and career adaptability. Through this research, we aim to provide profound insights into understanding the influence of socioeconomic status on the psychological development of college students and offer practical guidance for cultivating resilience and adaptability in university life.