STEM Career Goals and Underrepresented Groups: Annotated Bibliography

Introduction to the Bibliography

This annotated bibliography brings together ten peer-reviewed studies that collectively examine career development, academic persistence, and self-efficacy among underrepresented groups — particularly women of color and Latinos — in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and higher education. Recurring theoretical frameworks include Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and social cognitive theory more broadly, along with recurring themes such as the glass ceiling, mentoring, career barriers, and ethnic capital.

Social Cognitive Theory and Academic Goals

Byars-Winston, A., Estrada, Y., Howard, C., Davis, D., & Zalapa, J. (2010). Influence of social cognitive and ethnic variables on academic goals of underrepresented students in science and engineering: A multiple-groups analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 57(2). doi:10.1037/a0018608

This article explores how both social cognitive and ethnic variables can play a part in determining the academic goals of people and groups that are underrepresented within the academic sphere. The groups centered on this study include African-Americans, Latinos, Southeast Asians, and Native Americans. There were 223 participants, and the study itself was centered on the social cognitive theory as proposed by Lent, Brown, and Hackett in 1994. A significant relationship was found between outcome expectations, interests, and goals. Self-efficacy and efficacy-mediated relationships were also in play. One area addressed with particular emphasis is STEM, which is dominated by white males in many instances. The college that was the subject of this report is known as ALANA. The school and its students were assessed based on attrition rates and other academic benchmarks.

Lee, H. S., Flores, L. Y., Navarro, R. L., & Kanagui-Munoz, M. (2015). A longitudinal test of social cognitive career theory's academic persistence model among Latino/a and White men and women engineering students. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 88, 95–103.

As indicated by the title, this study makes use of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT). A group of 350 engineering students participated in the study. The largest subgroup was Latinos, with 172 participants, followed by 155 white students and 23 students of mixed racial background. The academic persistence model was found to be a strong fit for the engineering context used in this report. Significant differences were found between men and women; however, no differences were present based on ethnicity alone. In other words, men and women were on different footing, but people of differing races did not differ for purely racial reasons, at least based on the data. Overall, the study concluded that further investigation of academic persistence as it pertains to Latinos and women is warranted.

Wright, S. L., Perrone-McGovern, K. M., Boo, J. N., & White, A. V. (2014). Influential factors in academic and career self-efficacy: Attachment, supports, and career barriers. Journal of Counseling & Development, 92(1), 36–46. doi:10.1002/j.1556-

This article also uses social cognitive career theory as its underpinning theoretical framework. A total of 486 students were assessed. It was found that participants who were more closely attached to social supports and encountered fewer overall career barriers also demonstrated higher self-efficacy in both academic and career domains. This finding makes intuitive sense: people who must fend for themselves are more likely to be susceptible to attrition. Conversely, those who are less socially connected during their academic or career path are more likely to falter or fail entirely due to a lack of support. The study concludes by discussing theoretical, practical, and research implications that can be drawn from these findings.

Women of Color in STEM and Leadership

Kachchaf, R., Ko, L., Hodari, A., & Ong, M. (2015). Career-life balance for women of color: Experiences in science and engineering academia. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 8(3), 175. doi:10.1037/a0039068

Like the first entry, this study also uses STEM and underrepresented groups as its lens. Rather than race in general, the demographic most specifically examined is women who are of minority racial status, such as African-American or Latina women. The study addresses a number of factors that are unique to women, including exclusion from professional networks, overall lack of support, questioning of competence, career/life balance, having children, elder care, and other related concerns. Women of color in STEM fields face many of the same challenges seen in other professional fields, albeit in a more entrenched and compounded fashion. This is a serious problem, as STEM fields and institutions will remain predominantly white and male as long as these barriers go unaddressed.

O'Neill, R. M., Shapiro, M., Ingols, C., & Blake-Beard, S. (2013). Understanding women's career goals across ethnic identities. Advancing Women in Leadership, 33, 214–226.

One of the most discussed obstacles facing women in leadership is the glass ceiling — the idea that there is an invisible barrier preventing women from advancing beyond a certain level. Adding race to this equation makes the situation all the more daunting. Even so, the authors of this study acknowledge that women and their careers have "come into their own" in the 21st century. With that said, one prevalent — albeit controversial — idea is that women do not advance due to a lack of commitment or an active choice to prioritize other responsibilities, such as raising children or caring for aging parents, over career advancement. This particular study specifically found that the career arcs and pathways of women often do not conform to the "standard model," and this may be at least part of the reason why women who want to climb the corporate ladder face persistent obstacles.

Weidenfeller, N. K. (2012). Breaking through the glass wall: The experience of being a woman enterprise leader. Human Resource Development International, 15(3), 365–374. doi:10.1080/13678868.2012.688361

Although the glass ceiling is an omnipresent force affecting many women, there are indeed some women who break through it and occupy positions of power that women have not historically held. For those who have reached the upper echelons, researchers have identified common traits and pathways. The study identifies approximately five: a desire to be in control of their own destiny; an aspiration to hold leadership positions with real impact; a preference for achieving influence through a "connect and collaborate" style; a tendency to initiate culture change while staying focused on results; and a habit of applying self-knowledge and resilience to address problems as they arise. These traits were identified by examining the tests, setbacks, and challenges faced by women who successfully broke through the glass ceiling and achieved prominent leadership positions.

Rivera, L., Chen, E., Flores, L., Blumberg, F., & Ponterotto, J. (2007). The effects of perceived barriers, role models, and acculturation on the career self-efficacy and career consideration of Hispanic women. Career Development Quarterly, 56(1), 47–61.

Barriers come in many forms. Quite often, a barrier may not be explicit or obvious, yet it can still be perceived as present even without firm evidence to confirm it. With that framework in mind, a path analysis was conducted to examine variables such as barriers and acculturation. When examining the male-dominated model, this accounted for approximately fifteen percent of the overall variance found. For women, the variance jumped to twenty-six percent. Furthermore, the barriers identified tended to be female-dominated and were associated with Anglo acculturation patterns. All of this was based on a random sample of career-minded Hispanic women. Notably, the study found no relationship between the variables of interest when it came to male-dominated self-efficacy and career consideration.