This convergent mixed-methods study examined the distinct burnout profiles of novice school counselors and their respective professional experiences. A cluster analysis yielded a three-factor solution revealing unique burnout profiles. Qualitative analyses identified job-related challenges and resources impacting the work performance of novice…

Hispanic college students typically report a lower sense of belonging than their White peers, citing challenges related to first generation student status, low-income family backgrounds, and academic underpreparedness. The present study asked whether Hispanic students would have a lower sense of belonging than non-Hispanic White students and…

Attaining the rank of professor in high-intensive or intensive research universities is considered an arduous task. Not surprisingly, given the current state of racial inequities in the United States, there is a disproportionately low representation of Black males at the level of professorship. Although many Black male faculty members are fully…

Background: This empirical study aims to investigate the association between mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics achievement gaps among students in Grades 4, 8, and 12, utilizing data from the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The study also considers student-level (e.g., mathematics self-efficacy, gender,…

In the present study, the relationships among trait hope, academic self-efficacy, and academic achievement (self-reported GPA) were examined among college students. Demographic differences were analyzed based on college-going status, ethnicity, and gender. First-generation college-going students (FGCS) reported significantly lower levels of trait…

Empirical results are consistent with the hypothesis that socioeconomic factors contribute to initial disparities in performance that are perpetuated by demoralizing grading, testing, and grouping practices throughout the K-12 years. The hypothesis may explain why the achievement gap increases after children enter the school system, why Black…

Background and Context: As computing fields aim to both expand and diversify, narrowing representation gaps in undergraduate computing majors requires focus on retaining women and racially/ethnically minoritized students to the point of degree attainment. Objective: This study addresses the factors that contribute to persistence in computing…

Given the significant need to increase and diversify graduate enrollments within computing fields, it is vital to understand what shapes students' pathways to computing graduate school. This study examines the predictors of undergraduate students' self-confidence in being admitted to computing graduate school among students who enrolled in an…

For many, college is a period of transition, marked with acute stress, threats to success, and decreases in self-efficacy. For certain groups of students, the risk of these poor outcomes is elevated. In this study, 348 students from a large residential university in the western United States were surveyed to understand the role of psychological…

This dissertation researched the scope of mathematics achievement disparities in the United States and how these disparities can be minimized through a self-efficacy lens. To answer pertinent research questions with data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2019 mathematics assessment in Grades 4, 8, and 12, gap analyses,…

There is a dearth of literature that has empirically examined ecological factors that influence school counselors' engagement in leadership. Thus, using hierarchical regression analysis, we examined whether sociocultural factors (i.e., race/ethnicity, childhood socioeconomic status, current socioeconomic status, age, gender), professional…

This study examined how high school course-taking patterns (i.e., career and technical education [CTE] vs. academic vs. no concentration), personal characteristics embedded in a social cognitive theory framework (e.g., self-efficacy, academic expectations), and contextual variables (e.g., parental expectations, socioeconomic status [SES]) interact…

The far-reaching impacts of the teacher-child relationship, including academic achievement and social/behavioral adjustment, have been well-documented. At the same time, literature also suggests that teacher perceptions of teacher-child relationships are impacted by the race/ethnicity match or mismatch between teacher and child, with matching…

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has quickly spread around the world, and since currently no treatments that are safe and effective for large groups of people nor a vaccine are available, the best way to prevent the illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus causing it. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive effects of both…

The notion that students' aspirations are changeable with age is especially important in education aspirations studies. Researchers have acknowledged that individuals' aspirations are changeable and the stability of their aspirations is important for reaching their goals. Despite the finding that the misaligned educational and occupational…