The problem and the aim of the study. This study examined the mediating effect of information capabilities and the moderated mediating effect of school level on the relationship between smart device utilization and career maturity among South Korean middle and high school students. The primary aim was to explore whether and how students’ information capabilities mediate the link between their use of smart devices and career maturity, and whether this mediating effect differs by school level.
Research methods. Questionnaires were administered to 400 South Korean middle and high school students, measuring their smart device utilization, career maturity, information capabilities, and school level. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS Win 27.0, which included reliability analysis, descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, and correlation analysis. To analyze the mediation and moderated mediation effects, the SPSS PROCESS Macro 4.2ver was utilized, specifically using Model 4 (for mediation) and Model 7 (for moderated mediation).
Results. The findings of the study are as follows.: South Korean middle and high school students reported low levels of smart device utilization (M=2.03/5) and of information capabilities (M=53.41/160) but high level of career maturity (M=109.17/150). Second, Smart device utilization influenced career maturity indirectly through the mediating variable of information capabilities (indirect effect = .161, 95% CI [.095, .241]). Students who used smart devices more frequently tended to have greater information capabilities, which in turn enhanced their career maturity. Third, the effect of smart device utilization on career maturity, mediated by information capabilities, varied by school level. The study underscores that improving career maturity among South Korean middle and high school students requires not only the utilization of smart devices but also the enhancement of information capabilities. These findings carry important implications for career education and development strategies in secondary schools.
Conclusion. The results of this study are significant in that they highlight the importance of enhancing information capabilities to enhance career maturity among students. Furthermore, the findings indicate that high school students exhibit greater smart device utilization compared to middle school students, which moderates the effect on their information capabilities.
Keywords: smart device utilization, career maturity, information capabilities, school level, mediating effect of information capabilities and moderated mediation effect
For Citation: Kim, E. J. (2026). Influence of Smart Device Utilization on Career Maturity of Korean Adolescents: Mediating Effect of Information Capabilities and Moderated Mediation Effect of School Level. Perspektivy nauki i obrazovania = Perspectives of Science and Education, (1), 704–714. https://doi.org/10.32744/pse.2026.1.44
Author:
Eun Jeung Kim (Republic of Korea) — Department of Home Economics Education. Kyungpook National University. E-mail: coronia3@knu.ac.kr
© Eun Jeung Kim, 2026
The author’s declared no conflicts of interest
Received: 24 June 2025 | Approved: 15 September 2025 | Published: 28 February 2026
This is an open access article distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike International License (CC-BY-SA 4.0)
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