Father\u27s Profession Predicts Academic Outcomes for Women in STEM

Underrepresentation of Women in STEM Despite earning a larger percentage of bachelor’s degrees than men, women earn less than half of bachelor’s degrees in most science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields (Casad, Petzel, & Ingalls, 2018). STEM fields are often high earning, highly innovative professions, and therefore underrepresentation of women in STEM is a concern (Burke, 2007; Hossain & Robinson, 2012). Attitudes, Self-Efficacy, and STEM Outcomes Positive attitudes about math at a young age positively correlate with entrance into math related classes, leading to higher math self-efficacy and greater intent to pursue STEM careers (Wang, 2013). Because math self-efficacy tends to be lower among women students than men students (Wang, 2013), it is likely a strong factor in the underrepresentation of women in STEM. Role Models and STEM Outcomes Previous research shows a positive correlation between parental education level and women’s pursuit of STEM careers (Guyette & Mullen, 2006). Additionally, parental impact is predictive of math self-efficacy and math-attitudes (Casad, 2015). Because self-efficacy in a particular subject is predictive of course and career selection (Jacobs, 2005), this relationship warrants further exploration