Psychological well-being of vocational training students during their transition to employment: The role of emotional competence and educational success

Authors

  • Sasha Voyer Université du Québec à Montréal
  • Marie-Hélène Véronneau Université du Québec à Montréal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26443/mje/rsem.v59i2.10146

Keywords:

school-to-work transition, vocational training, psychological well-being, emotional competence, educational success

Abstract

The school-to-work transition presents several challenges for vocational training students in Quebec. While psychological well-being at work appears to be an important indicator of a successful transition from school to work, few studies have been conducted have been conducted on this topic with vocational training students. Emotional competence and educational success are closely related constructs that could contribute to psychological well-being after the end of students’ training. This two-phase study, conducted with 179 students, aimed to test the mediating role of educational success in the association between emotional competence and psychological well-being. Regression analyses support educational success as a mediator in this relationship. This study sheds light on the potential of interventions to strengthen students’ emotional competence.

Author Biographies

Sasha Voyer, Université du Québec à Montréal

obtained her bachelor’s and doctorate degrees in psychology at the Université du Québec à Montréal. She currently works as a clinical psychologist in private practice and in carceral settings. The present study was carried out as part of her doctoral thesis under the supervision of the article’s second author. sashavoyer.psy@gmail.com

Marie-Hélène Véronneau, Université du Québec à Montréal

is a full professor in the Department of psychology at the Université du Québec à Montréal, holder of the UQAM Chair on the promotion of well-being during academic and post-academic transitions, and director of the Educational Pathways and Social Influences Laboratory (LÉPSIS). Her research interests include educational success, mental health and emotional competence, which she studies in child, adolescent, and adult populations using a developmental perspective. She carried out this study with the support of the Quebec Research Fund, society and culture sector (support for research teams, 2018-SE-205454), and Health sector (research scholar award junior 1 and 2, 26858 and 266652) and from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Insight development program, 430-2017-01016). veronneau.marie-helene@uqam.ca

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Published

2025-07-03

How to Cite

Voyer, S., & Véronneau, M.-H. (2025). Psychological well-being of vocational training students during their transition to employment: The role of emotional competence and educational success. McGill Journal of Education / Revue Des Sciences De l’éducation De McGill, 59(2), 242–264. https://doi.org/10.26443/mje/rsem.v59i2.10146

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