Table 2.

Comparing SCCT and CCT in the middle school perspective.

	SCCT	CCT
Theoretical focus	Self-efficacy, outcome expectations, goal-setting	Identity construction, meaning-making, career adaptability
Key strengths	Builds confidence and practical skills, measurable outcomes	Encourages personal exploration, adaptability, and self-reflection
Key limitations	Limited attention to career identity	Harder to measure short-term success
Students	Students who need confidence and exposure to career planning	Students who benefit from exploratory, narrative-based approaches