Building a STEM identity among young women students in middle and high school

The experiences of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) during their college years and beyond have been explored in recent years in order to identify and address gender disparities. However, young women’s journeys through middle school and high school have not been as closely examined. This period in their education is particularly important because it is typically the point when students make decisions about their future careers, and when women’s interest in STEM tends to decrease.

In order to understand how young women in middle and high school build a STEM identity, researchers performed a systemic review of studies focused on the experiences of women students in STEM. Researchers examined 488 research articles on the experiences of young women in STEM, of which 47 fit their research criteria and were reviewed in detail. They focused on three areas: the STEM environments that young women experience in middle school and high school, the efforts to bring change in the STEM environment, and recommendations that emerge from investigating literature using a social identity perspective.

Findings suggested that young women’s social environments were influenced by parents, friends, and peers who discouraged them from participation and inclusion in STEM settings, which made it challenging for students to identify with STEM. Researchers emphasized the need for increased positive attitudes and mentoring relationships to enable young women to experience a positive sense of STEM community.

Using social identity theory, researchers argued for a two-pronged approach to help create a STEM identity among young women. First, women students must be fully supported in their STEM education both inside an outside the classroom. Second, the existing biases about who is perceived as a member of the stereotypical STEM ingroup must be addressed. The consistent exposure of young students to women professionals in STEM can foster perceptions of women’s success in STEM to be normative and not atypical. Additionally, programs highlighting contributions of women in STEM careers are needed to change the stereotype of scientists being white men. When such programs are no longer necessary, young women will truly be included in the STEM environment.

Sample size(s): N/A

Participants: High school and middle school students

Design: Systematic review — collected literature from a variety of databases.

Summarized by WinSights team members: Khushi Sheth, Asal Eshghabadi, Razan Mohamed & Shohini Ghose

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