Work-related goal appraisals and stress during the transition from education to work

People's personal goals interact with their life situations in many ways. This study examined the appraisals of personal goals during a transition from education to work and their interplay with stress in different domains of life. Finnish young adults (N = 265, 60% female) reported on their goals in the work domain, and related appraisals of importance, attainability, and progress, and the amount of stress they experienced with regard to economic situation, time, and work. The results showed that those individuals who appraised their work goals as important, attainable and progressing well, benefited from their goal striving as evidenced in less stress in all three domains. Moreover, individuals who initially experienced elevated stress levels due to their economic and work situation adapted their work-related goals, such that they later set goals which were more attainable and showed better progress. For these individuals, pursuing work goals remained highly important, whereas for others work goal importance declined.

▶ During the transition to working life, work-related goal progress increases. ▶ The importance of work-related goals decreases. ▶ Everyday stress with economic situation and time decreases; work stress increases. ▶ Goal striving predicts less everyday stress. ▶ Everyday stress predicts changes in goal striving.