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The Formation Mechanism of the "Suspension" Predicament among Youth during the Initial School-to-Work Transition: Cognitive Misalignment, Familial Pressure, and Fractured Social Support

Zhenya Liu
Vol. 6, No. 10, pp. 46-62, 2026 DOI: 10.54691/1cb1re11 October 19, 2026
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Abstract.Against the macro-level backdrop of profound economic transformation and an annual cohort of more than ten million graduates, contemporary young people face pronounced uncertainty during the initial school-to-work transition, manifested in a distinct predicament of "suspension" in employment and social adaptation. Drawing on qualitative in-depth interviews, this study shifts attention from macro-level unemployment indicators to individuals' lived experiences and examines the dynamic mechanisms through which youth "suspension" is produced. The findings show that this predicament stems primarily from structural pressures in three domains: cognitive misalignment between educational expectations and entry-level jobs, intergenerational conflict rooted in traditional family norms, and deficiencies in external employment-support systems across universities, the labor market, and communities. Addressing these problems requires a shift from a narrow outcome-oriented approach toward comprehensive human-centered support. By strengthening individual capabilities, easing intergenerational strain, and rebuilding a multidimensional safety-net network, more inclusive institutional arrangements can facilitate young people's transition from "suspension" to stable social embeddedness.
Keywords. Youth Employment; Suspension Predicament; Cognitive Misalignment; School-to-work Transition; Barriers to Social Embeddedness.
APA Citation Zhenya Liu (2026). The Formation Mechanism of the "Suspension" Predicament among Youth during the Initial School-to-Work Transition: Cognitive Misalignment, Familial Pressure, and Fractured Social Support. Frontiers in Humanities and Social Sciences, 6(10), 46-62. https://doi.org/10.54691/1cb1re11

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