The Role of Social Support in Students’ Perceived Abilities and Attitudes Toward Math and Science
- 14 August 2012
- journal article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Journal of Youth and Adolescence
- Vol. 42 (7), 1028-1040
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9801-8
Abstract
Social cognitive models examining academic and career outcomes emphasize constructs such as attitude, interest, and self-efficacy as key factors affecting students’ pursuit of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) courses and careers. The current research examines another under-researched component of social cognitive models: social support, and the relationship between this component and attitude and self-efficacy in math and science. A large cross-sectional design was used gathering data from 1,552 participants in four adolescent school settings from 5th grade to early college (41 % female, 80 % white). Students completed measures of perceived social support from parents, teachers and friends as well as their perceived ability and attitudes toward math and science. Fifth grade and college students reported higher levels of support from teachers and friends when compared to students at other grade levels. In addition, students who perceived greater social support for math and science from parents, teachers, and friends reported better attitudes and had higher perceptions of their abilities in math and science. Lastly, structural equation modeling revealed that social support had both a direct effect on math and science perceived abilities and an indirect effect mediated through math and science attitudes. Findings suggest that students who perceive greater social support for math and science from parents, teachers, and friends have more positive attitudes toward math and science and a higher sense of their own competence in these subjects.Keywords
This publication has 41 references indexed in Scilit:
- Students' Perceived Parental School Behavior Expectations and Their Academic Performance: A Longitudinal AnalysisFamily Relations, 2012
- Longitudinal Effects of Teacher and Student Perceptions of Teacher-Student Relationship Qualities on Academic AdjustmentThe Elementary School Journal, 2011
- Instruction, teacher–student relations, and math achievement trajectories in elementary school.Journal of Educational Psychology, 2010
- Women's underrepresentation in science: Sociocultural and biological considerations.Psychological Bulletin, 2009
- Perceived Social Support and Early Adolescents’ Achievement: The Mediational Roles of Motivational Beliefs and EmotionsJournal of Youth and Adolescence, 2008
- Social Cognitive Predictors of Academic Interests and Goals in Engineering: Utility for Women and Students at Historically Black Universities.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 2005
- Children's competence and value beliefs from childhood through adolescence: Growth trajectories in two male-sex-typed domains.Developmental Psychology, 2002
- Mathematics Self-Efficacy, Ethnic Identity, Gender, and Career Interests Related to Mathematics and ScienceThe Journal of Educational Research, 1999
- Student/Teacher Relations and Attitudes toward Mathematics Before and After the Transition to Junior High SchoolChild Development, 1989
- Gender Influences in Classroom Interaction.Contemporary Sociology: A Journal of Reviews, 1986