Adolescent career behavior: Free career choice - Wave 1, 2021

The dataset Adolescent Career Behavior: Free Career Choice_Wave 1 (ACB_FCC_W1) captures early and middle adolescents' career-related behaviors. Data collection took place in the spring of 2021, involving 3,276 students aged 11 to 19. Participants were enrolled in 5th, 6th, and 7th grade of primary school, as well as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade of secondary school. The survey explored various aspects of career choice, vocational interests and preferences, challenges in career decision-making, vocational identity formation, gender and social stereotypes in career choices, as well as school satisfaction, motivation, and academic achievement. It also included basic sociodemographic and educational data. The survey was administered via an online testing platform, with guidance from researchers or school psychologists, either in-person or in virtual school settings. Prior to data collection, necessary approvals were obtained from the Ministry of Science and Education, the Ethical Board at the Ivo Pilar Institute, and school principals. Additionally, informed consent was secured from students and their parents. The ACB_FCC_W1 dataset represents the first wave of a three-year longitudinal study (2021–2023) conducted as part of the project The Model of Free Career Choice: The Role of Autonomous Career Motivation and Protective and Risk Factors in Career Development of Adolescents (FreeCareerChoice), funded by the Croatian Science Foundation (IP-2019-04-7537). This project examines adolescent career development through both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. It includes three independent quantitative studies (cross-sectional, longitudinal, and quasi-experimental) alongside several smaller qualitative studies.