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Abstract Racially minoritized groups are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degree programs and careers, warranting the need to examine students' racialized experiences in K‐12 settings that may influence their STEM persistence. In particular, the current study explored adolescent perceptions of school racial climate (SRC) as a potential contributor to pre‐college racial disparities in STEM. We used latent class analysis to group adolescents based on their SRC perceptions and explored group differences in their interest in a STEM career and their belonging, psychological needs satisfaction, and engagement in STEM courses. Adolescent participants (N = 412, 50.2% female, 36.9% male, 12.9% other/not reported,Mage = 15.72 years, standard deviation = 1.24) attending five high schools in the Southeastern United States, were grouped into five classes based on their perceptions of SRC: Critical SRC (CritSRC), Average SRC, Average with Stereotyping, Positive SRC (PosSRC), and Positive with Stereotyping. Latent class membership differed by race, age, and learning environment. Results revealed that students with more positive perceptions of SRC reported greater belonging, engagement, and needs satisfaction in their STEM courses and more interest in a STEM career compared to students with CritSRC perceptions. Findings also indicated that White students were more likely than Black students to perceive a PosSRC. Recommendations for areas of future research and policy implications are discussed.
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This content will become publicly available on March 11, 2026
STEM ability perceptions, basic needs satisfaction, and intrinsic motivation in adolescents: The role of inclusive perceptions in self-determination
Current work suggests that basic psychological needs are related to higher intrinsic motivation, which in turn, can promote more positive academic outcomes. However, few studies have examined how perceptions around one’s abilities in science, engineering, technology, and math (STEM) are related to intrinsic motivation and what role needs satisfaction plays in this association. This study assessed adolescents’ (N= 285, 56.1% female,Mage= 15.76 years,SD= 1.24) STEM ability perceptions, basic needs satisfaction, and intrinsic motivation. A path analysis was used to examine the association between STEM ability perceptions, basic needs satisfaction, and intrinsic motivation in adolescents. Inclusive perceptions of the STEM abilities of historically underrepresented groups (i.e., girls and minoritized ethnicities) were positively associated with basic needs satisfaction and basic needs satisfaction was positively associated with intrinsic motivation. There was also a positive indirect effect from inclusive perceptions of STEM abilities to intrinsic motivation through basic needs satisfaction. These findings suggest that schools should focus on promoting inclusive perceptions in order to bolster adolescents’ basic needs satisfaction, which could have carry-on effects on intrinsic motivation.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1941992
- PAR ID:
- 10648129
- Editor(s):
- Tilga, Henri
- Publisher / Repository:
- PlosOne
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- PLOS ONE
- Volume:
- 20
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 1932-6203
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- e0318266
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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