Scholarlink

<p>Though much research has revealed the importance of competence-related and task value beliefs on career decision-making in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), it is not yet clear what motivational factors are <i>most salient</i> on adolescents’ minds as they consider pursuing STEM careers, particularly among those from historically marginalized gender and racial/ethnic groups. This qualitative study examined the salient motivational benefits and challenges of STEM careers perceived by Black and Hispanic high school girls and boys (<i>n</i> = 391), with attention to students’ intersecting gender and racial/ethnic group membership. By coding over 150 open-ended survey responses, we found that the most salient benefits students reported perceiving for STEM careers were related to task value beliefs, particularly utility value followed by attainment and intrinsic value. The most salient motivational challenges included high perceptions of cost and low competence-related beliefs in STEM. Findings also highlighted the importance of socializers in shaping students’ STEM career motivation. Gender and racial/ethnic group differences emerged, such that girls more often reported intrinsic value-related benefits than did boys. Additionally, relative to other groups, Hispanic girls more often and Black boys less often reported competence-related concerns. Insights for designing culturally responsive educational interventions and programming aimed at broadening STEM career participation are discussed.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

What’s on Their Minds? Salient Motivational Benefits and Challenges of STEM Careers Perceived by Black and Hispanic High School Girls and Boys

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月26日

查看全文
  • Xiao-Yin Chen,
  • Yichi Zhang,
  • Harlee DiNello,
  • Emily Q. Rosenzweig

摘要

Though much research has revealed the importance of competence-related and task value beliefs on career decision-making in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), it is not yet clear what motivational factors are most salient on adolescents’ minds as they consider pursuing STEM careers, particularly among those from historically marginalized gender and racial/ethnic groups. This qualitative study examined the salient motivational benefits and challenges of STEM careers perceived by Black and Hispanic high school girls and boys (n = 391), with attention to students’ intersecting gender and racial/ethnic group membership. By coding over 150 open-ended survey responses, we found that the most salient benefits students reported perceiving for STEM careers were related to task value beliefs, particularly utility value followed by attainment and intrinsic value. The most salient motivational challenges included high perceptions of cost and low competence-related beliefs in STEM. Findings also highlighted the importance of socializers in shaping students’ STEM career motivation. Gender and racial/ethnic group differences emerged, such that girls more often reported intrinsic value-related benefits than did boys. Additionally, relative to other groups, Hispanic girls more often and Black boys less often reported competence-related concerns. Insights for designing culturally responsive educational interventions and programming aimed at broadening STEM career participation are discussed.