Three critical issues that shape and complicate STEM self-efficacy intervention research: Reflections and analysis from an interdisciplinary research team

A student’s academic self-efficacy is a variable that predicts student achievement and persistence in STEM, and substantial research has focused on developing and testing interventions to increase STEM self-efficacy. Results have been inconsistent: Some efforts produced desired outcomes while others show weak or null effects. What factors affect whether a self-efficacy intervention is successful? Based on our experiences with an NSF-funded project that developed and tested a classroom-based self-efficacy intervention in university Physics courses, we identify three critical research issues that shape and complicate STEM student self-efficacy research, ground them in the literature, and illustrate them in practice. They are: (1) defining and measuring self-efficacy, (2) accounting for context, and (3) understanding related psychosocial factors. We conclude with implications for future research.