Vocational Identity Development in Croatian Adolescents: Scale Validation and Longitudinal Change

Guided by Porfeli’s model, we conducted two studies examining vocational identity among Croatian middle adolescents. In Study 1 ( N = 770), the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Croatian version of the Vocational Identity Status Assessment (VISA) were assessed. The six-factor model showed the best fit and was confirmed across gender and school type. Subscale reliability and convergent validity were supported. In Study 2 ( N = 549), adolescents were followed over three years (ages 16–18). Overall, commitment and in-depth exploration increased, while flexibility decreased. These trends were consistent across genders. However, gymnasium students showed more change, with increases in commitment, identification, and in-depth exploration, and decreases in self-doubt, flexibility, and in-breadth exploration. In contrast, vocational students showed stable identity profiles over time. The findings highlight the importance of educational context in shaping vocational identity development and support the use of VISA across diverse groups of secondary school students.