Identifying leaks in the STEM recruitment pipeline among sexual and gender minority US secondary students

Casey D. Xavier Hall; Christine Virginia Wood; Manuel Hurtado; David Andrew Moskowitz; Christina Elizabeth Dyar; Brian Mustanski

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0268769

Identifying leaks in the STEM recruitment pipeline among sexual and gender minority US secondary students

Casey D. Xavier Hall, Christine Virginia Wood, Manuel Hurtado, David Andrew Moskowitz, Christina Elizabeth Dyar, Brian Mustanski^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose Research establishes the critical need to address the underrepresentation of women and racial/ethnic minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). While emergent research addresses similar challenges for sexual and gender minorities (SGM), this research remains scant and focuses on adult experiences. This analysis examines subgroup differences and the impact of bullying on STEM engagement outcomes among a national sample of SGM secondary students in the U.S. Method This report provides descriptive and multivariable regression analysis of national survey data (n = 539) on the experiences of pre-college students who identify as SGM, including the effects of within-school anti-SGM bullying on STEM identity, perceptions of STEM climate, and STEM intentions. Results Roughly 50% of the sample intended to enter a STEM field (compared to 25% in previous general samples). Bullying in school was negatively associated with STEM identity and perceptions of STEM climate. Sense of belonging is positively associated with perceptions of STEM climate and STEM intentions. Being non-binary and being a transgender man were associated with decreased sense of belonging and negative perception of STEM climate. Conclusion This report is the first to identify factors influencing STEM engagement among SGM secondary students and suggests that issues of STEM engagement are already present in adolescence. Moreover, the findings also establish the relationship between anti-SGM bullying and STEM outcomes highlighting the importance of this marginalization experience. Future research should further examine sub-group differences and the persistence of these effects. These findings highlight the need for research and intervention addressing STEM outcomes in SGM populations.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	e0268769
Journal	PloS one
Volume	17
Issue number	6 June
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268769
State	Published - Jun 2022

Funding

BM- National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (U01MD011281; PI: B. Mustanski) https://taggs.hhs.gov/Detail/ AwardDetail?arg_AwardNum= U01MD011281&arg_ProgOfficeCode=56 The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. We would like to thank all of the staff across Northwestern University, University of Puerto Rico, Hunter College of the City University of New York, North Carolina State University, and University of Hawai’i at Hilo for their hard work. Finally, we would like to thank all of the participants in SMART for their time and commitment to the study.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1371/journal.pone.0268769

Cite this

@article{1c833233f6724ebfa6ab1eb2cef4a5b6,

title = "Identifying leaks in the STEM recruitment pipeline among sexual and gender minority US secondary students",

abstract = "Purpose Research establishes the critical need to address the underrepresentation of women and racial/ethnic minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). While emergent research addresses similar challenges for sexual and gender minorities (SGM), this research remains scant and focuses on adult experiences. This analysis examines subgroup differences and the impact of bullying on STEM engagement outcomes among a national sample of SGM secondary students in the U.S. Method This report provides descriptive and multivariable regression analysis of national survey data (n = 539) on the experiences of pre-college students who identify as SGM, including the effects of within-school anti-SGM bullying on STEM identity, perceptions of STEM climate, and STEM intentions. Results Roughly 50% of the sample intended to enter a STEM field (compared to 25% in previous general samples). Bullying in school was negatively associated with STEM identity and perceptions of STEM climate. Sense of belonging is positively associated with perceptions of STEM climate and STEM intentions. Being non-binary and being a transgender man were associated with decreased sense of belonging and negative perception of STEM climate. Conclusion This report is the first to identify factors influencing STEM engagement among SGM secondary students and suggests that issues of STEM engagement are already present in adolescence. Moreover, the findings also establish the relationship between anti-SGM bullying and STEM outcomes highlighting the importance of this marginalization experience. Future research should further examine sub-group differences and the persistence of these effects. These findings highlight the need for research and intervention addressing STEM outcomes in SGM populations.",

author = "{Xavier Hall}, {Casey D.} and Wood, {Christine Virginia} and Manuel Hurtado and Moskowitz, {David Andrew} and Dyar, {Christina Elizabeth} and Brian Mustanski",

note = "Funding Information: BM- National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (U01MD011281; PI: B. Mustanski) https://taggs.hhs.gov/Detail/ AwardDetail?arg_AwardNum= U01MD011281&arg_ProgOfficeCode=56 The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. We would like to thank all of the staff across Northwestern University, University of Puerto Rico, Hunter College of the City University of New York, North Carolina State University, and University of Hawai{\textquoteright}i at Hilo for their hard work. Finally, we would like to thank all of the participants in SMART for their time and commitment to the study. Publisher Copyright: Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Xavier Hall et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.",

year = "2022",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1371/journal.pone.0268769",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "17",

journal = "PloS one",

issn = "1932-6203",

publisher = "Public Library of Science",

number = "6 June",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Identifying leaks in the STEM recruitment pipeline among sexual and gender minority US secondary students

AU - Xavier Hall, Casey D.

AU - Wood, Christine Virginia

AU - Hurtado, Manuel

AU - Moskowitz, David Andrew

AU - Dyar, Christina Elizabeth

AU - Mustanski, Brian

N1 - Funding Information: BM- National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (U01MD011281; PI: B. Mustanski) https://taggs.hhs.gov/Detail/ AwardDetail?arg_AwardNum= U01MD011281&arg_ProgOfficeCode=56 The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. We would like to thank all of the staff across Northwestern University, University of Puerto Rico, Hunter College of the City University of New York, North Carolina State University, and University of Hawai’i at Hilo for their hard work. Finally, we would like to thank all of the participants in SMART for their time and commitment to the study. Publisher Copyright: Copyright: © 2022 Xavier Hall et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

PY - 2022/6

Y1 - 2022/6

N2 - Purpose Research establishes the critical need to address the underrepresentation of women and racial/ethnic minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). While emergent research addresses similar challenges for sexual and gender minorities (SGM), this research remains scant and focuses on adult experiences. This analysis examines subgroup differences and the impact of bullying on STEM engagement outcomes among a national sample of SGM secondary students in the U.S. Method This report provides descriptive and multivariable regression analysis of national survey data (n = 539) on the experiences of pre-college students who identify as SGM, including the effects of within-school anti-SGM bullying on STEM identity, perceptions of STEM climate, and STEM intentions. Results Roughly 50% of the sample intended to enter a STEM field (compared to 25% in previous general samples). Bullying in school was negatively associated with STEM identity and perceptions of STEM climate. Sense of belonging is positively associated with perceptions of STEM climate and STEM intentions. Being non-binary and being a transgender man were associated with decreased sense of belonging and negative perception of STEM climate. Conclusion This report is the first to identify factors influencing STEM engagement among SGM secondary students and suggests that issues of STEM engagement are already present in adolescence. Moreover, the findings also establish the relationship between anti-SGM bullying and STEM outcomes highlighting the importance of this marginalization experience. Future research should further examine sub-group differences and the persistence of these effects. These findings highlight the need for research and intervention addressing STEM outcomes in SGM populations.

AB - Purpose Research establishes the critical need to address the underrepresentation of women and racial/ethnic minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). While emergent research addresses similar challenges for sexual and gender minorities (SGM), this research remains scant and focuses on adult experiences. This analysis examines subgroup differences and the impact of bullying on STEM engagement outcomes among a national sample of SGM secondary students in the U.S. Method This report provides descriptive and multivariable regression analysis of national survey data (n = 539) on the experiences of pre-college students who identify as SGM, including the effects of within-school anti-SGM bullying on STEM identity, perceptions of STEM climate, and STEM intentions. Results Roughly 50% of the sample intended to enter a STEM field (compared to 25% in previous general samples). Bullying in school was negatively associated with STEM identity and perceptions of STEM climate. Sense of belonging is positively associated with perceptions of STEM climate and STEM intentions. Being non-binary and being a transgender man were associated with decreased sense of belonging and negative perception of STEM climate. Conclusion This report is the first to identify factors influencing STEM engagement among SGM secondary students and suggests that issues of STEM engagement are already present in adolescence. Moreover, the findings also establish the relationship between anti-SGM bullying and STEM outcomes highlighting the importance of this marginalization experience. Future research should further examine sub-group differences and the persistence of these effects. These findings highlight the need for research and intervention addressing STEM outcomes in SGM populations.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85131702355&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85131702355&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0268769

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0268769

M3 - Article

C2 - 35658021

AN - SCOPUS:85131702355

SN - 1932-6203

VL - 17

JO - PloS one

JF - PloS one

IS - 6 June

M1 - e0268769

ER -

Identifying leaks in the STEM recruitment pipeline among sexual and gender minority US secondary students

Abstract

Funding

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this