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BackgroundDespite efforts to increase the participation of marginalized students, neurodivergent students remain underrepresented in graduate STEM programs. Prior research shows that these students often experience challenges related to key aspects of writing. The objective of this qualitative study is to deepen understanding of the writing experiences, strengths, and challenges of neurodivergent students pursuing graduate degrees in STEM fields. In this analysis, we consider the factors that influence the writing-specific challenges faced by neurodivergent students in graduate STEM programs. This work also explores how neurodivergent students leverage strengths and strategies for success in graduate-level writing tasks. ResultsThis qualitative study draws on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) to consider the ways cognitive, behavioral, and environmental factors impact writing experiences. We used thematic analysis of the transcripts from 13 focus groups and 1 interview to examine the writing experiences of 31 students who identify as neurodivergent in graduate STEM programs. The findings suggest that many writing challenges faced by neurodivergent graduate students are behaviors and beliefs that emerge in response to environmental factors such as the culture of STEM fields, prior experiences with writing assignments, anxiety driven by intensive feedback cycles, and perceived and experienced stigma. Study participants employed a range of collaborative and situational strategies to support and enhance their writing productivity. ConclusionThese findings may provide insight for current and future neurodivergent graduate students as they adjust to the intense writing demands of graduate degree programs and for graduate program administrators and faculty advisors as they consider new ways to support the academic success of neurodivergent graduate students.
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Math challenges, strengths and achievement: Towards a theory of strain-induced performance-perception misalignment for racially marginalized students
In the midst of an expanding knowledge-based economy, there remains a policy emphasis on increasing the number of professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) within the United States. In addition to a general interest in increasing STEM pathways for all students, there have been concentrated efforts to expand opportunities and STEM-related academic achievement for Black and Latinx students because of their underrepresentation in many of these fields. This critical quantitative study employs large-scale national data to examine an important outcome for Black and Latinx students’ STEM academic trajectories—their math achievement during high school. A strength-based role strain and adaptation approach is employed to investigate how students’ math challenges and math-related multilevel strengths (i.e., positive psychological attributes and social supports) combine to influence their math achievement. Furthermore, we examine how the relationship between students’ strengths and achievement may be moderated by their prior math challenges. The findings suggest that some aspects of Black and Latinx students’ strengths (e.g., math identity, math self-efficacy, and math-related social support) are positively related to their achievement; however, in some instances, the nature of these relationships may differ according to students’ prior math challenges. Based upon these findings, the authors advance a theory of strain-induced performance–perception misalignment that emphasizes how students’ prior math challenges may create a barrier to the potential benefits of positive math-related psychological orientations. Implications for the following are discussed: theory; educational practice regarding social supports and the need to change educators’ psychological dispositions; and opportunity gaps and STEM education policy.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1749275
- PAR ID:
- 10340588
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of women and minorities in science and engineering
- Volume:
- 27
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 1072-8325
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 59-90
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/1072-8325/21
