An Exploratory Study of Engineering Graduate Student Persistence: Self-Efficacy and Contextual Influences

IF 2.6 3区心理学 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, APPLIED

Journal of Career Development Pub Date : 2022-09-03 DOI:10.1177/08948453221123789

M. Fitzpatrick, Stephanie G. Burrows, James A. Yonker

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Women and U.S. racial/ethnic minority students are underrepresented in engineering graduate education and engineering practice. Demographic homogeneity in engineering research teams can negatively affect individuals, innovation, and research outcomes. Thus, it is important to explore factors that influence student intentions to complete engineering degrees, particularly for groups historically underrepresented in engineering. Social Cognitive Career Theory guided the development of new items to evaluate self-efficacy, feeling welcome and included, relationship with principal investigator, and research group environment. Results with 295 engineering graduate students found that female sex, engineering self-efficacy, and feeling welcome and included were independently positively associated with commitment to complete an engineering degree. Feeling welcome and included operated 30% through self-efficacy and 70% directly. The effects of female sex were unmediated by self-efficacy. Results suggest that proximal and distal contextual factors may operate independently from self-efficacy to influence retention in graduate engineering programs.

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工科研究生坚持性的探索性研究:自我效能感与情境影响

女性和美国少数族裔学生在工程研究生教育和工程实践中的代表性不足。工程研究团队中的人口同质性会对个人、创新和研究成果产生负面影响。因此，探索影响学生完成工程学位意图的因素是很重要的，特别是对于历史上在工程领域代表性不足的群体。社会认知职业理论指导了新项目的开发，以评估自我效能感、受欢迎和被包容感、与主要研究者的关系和研究小组环境。对295名工程专业研究生的调查结果发现，女性性别、工程自我效能感和受欢迎感与完成工程学位的承诺呈独立正相关。自我效能感30%通过自我效能感作用，70%直接作用。女性性别的影响不受自我效能感的影响。结果表明，近端和远端环境因素可能独立于自我效能感影响研究生工程项目的保留。

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来源期刊

Journal of Career Development PSYCHOLOGY, APPLIED-

CiteScore

5.80

自引率

6.90%

发文量

期刊介绍： Journal of Career Development provides the professional, the public, and policymakers with the latest in career development theory, research and practice, focusing on the impact that theory and research have on practice. Among the topics covered are career education, adult career development, career development of special needs populations, career development and the family, and career and leisure. Research reports and discussion of theory are welcome, but practical applications must be presented.