Career Optimism through Career Adaptability and Psychological Capital

In this era of rapid change and career uncertainty, higher-education institutions must equip students with psychological resources. This paper examines how career adaptability mediates the relationship between learning engagement and career optimism, and studies how psychological capital (PsyCap) enhances both constructs among Indian university students. The study is grounded in Psychological Capital and Career Construction theories, integrating positive psychology with career development to explain how engagement and adaptability can foster future-oriented optimism. Using validated constructs and structural modelling, findings show that PsyCap-driven engagements and adaptability can highly contribute to students’ career optimism. The study presents a culturally contextualised framework that links engagement, adaptability, and psychological strength within the changing landscape of Indian higher education.