The gender gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) professions results from several factors that deter females from pursuing careers in STEM. Girls' low interest in science and lack of feeling both belonging and efficacy in science, which emerge as early as middle school, are believed to be part of the problem. This study reports…

This meta-analysis synthesizes research on using ingroup role models to improve the performance and interest of underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). A systematic literature search resulted in forty-five studies that met the selection criteria, including the presence of a comparison group. Both lab and…

This is one of the first studies of its kind to systematically examine processes influencing youth entry, retention, and dropout from sports. To accomplish this objective, the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF), in partnership with The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation, commissioned a national survey about the participation and experiences of youth in…

What was the role of imperfect local information in the growth, gender gap, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) major selection of early 20th century American universities? In order to examine pre-1950 American higher education, this study constructs four rich panel datasets covering most students, high school teachers, and…

This article looks broadly at the critical aspects involved in the "struggle" on different phases of one's academic life in order to observe how underrepresented girls take a variety of experiences with scientists and internalize them into their personal science identities. Some of the central struggles discussed are perceptions of…

In this twenty-first century there is a disproportionate amount of African American males in special education in the U.S. This is a factor happening day by day affecting the achievement gap between Black and White students, especially males. The purpose of this study is to point out factors that contribute to the overrepresentation of African…

The products of computer science are important to all aspects of society and are tools in the solution of the world's problems. It is, therefore, troubling that the United States faces a shortage in qualified graduates in computer science. The number of women and minorities in computer science is significantly lower than the percentage of the…

Youth internal assets and external resources are protective factors that can help youth avoid potentially harmful behaviors. This study investigates how the relationship between youth assets or resources and two sexual risk behaviors (ever had sex and birth control use) varied by gender. Data were collected through in-home interviews from…

Several issues relating to Indian women are discussed. These include (1) the three types of people to whom we owe our historical perceptions of Indian women, (2) role delineation in Indian society; (3) differences between Indian women and white women, and (4) literary role models of Indian women. (Author/BW)

This issue of "Impact" focuses on employment and women with disabilities. An editorial introduction notes that work is important to women with disabilities for numerous reasons. Among them are feeling successful and important, earning money, being independent, having a reason to get up in the morning, making a meaningful difference in the lives of…

In two studies, children rated infant pictures on an "unhappy-happy" scale after being told how adolescent male models (black or white) had allegedly rated them. The subjects in Experiment 1 were black and white females and males (ages 9-12 years) attending inner-city schools in Des Moines, Iowa. Those in Experiment 2 were white females and males…

Interviews reveal that black student-athletes are placed in the middle of a credibility conflict between the faculty, the administration, and the community. Balancing academic, athletic, and personal demands is a herculean task. Black student-athletes need a caring institutional atmosphere to improve their academic performance. (BJV)

This study successively tests simple modeling, normative influence, and conditional positive modeling hypotheses about the working mother's effect on her daughter's work orientation. Four hypotheses are postulated and tested separately by race to examine possible racial differences. The most complex hypothesis is that if modeling is conditioned by…

Focusing on the formation of career plans among black and white females, a study was conducted using the theoretical and empirical framework provided by a modified version of the "Wisconsin Model" of status attainment. Data collection was designed to obtain information including parental socioeconomic status, mental ability, academic…