Patterns of Socializers’ Science Support: Retrospective Relations to Motivational Beliefs among Ethno-Racially Minoritized College Students

• In Event: The What and How of Parents’ Socialization: Exploring the Bridging Role of Children’s Psychological Processes

Abstract

Studies guided by the situated expectancy-value theory suggest that students’ perceptions of science support from different socializers promote their science self-concepts and task values, including those from ethno-racially minoritized backgrounds (Eccles & Wigfield, 2020; Starr et al., 2022a). However, limited research, examine how integrated science support from multiple sources—like parents and teachers—shapes minoritized students’ science motivational beliefs (Lee et al., 2015). While prior research also indicates positive relationships between socializers’ support and students' STEM motivation and choices in college (Jackson & Suizzo, 2015; Jiang & Simpkins, 2024; Onuma et al., 2020; Starr et al., 2022b), this research largely focuses on four-year university students. This raises the question of whether the positive relations between science support and science motivational beliefs also extend to community college students. To address this gap, this retrospective study investigated the patterns of perceived science support from mothers, fathers, and teachers among ethno-racially minoritized college students. We also explore how these patterns predict science motivational beliefs and whether these relationships vary between university and community college students.
We analyzed data from 368 college students (58% university, 42% community college; 47% women, 48% men, 5% non-binary; 23% Latiné, 33% Asian, 18% Black, 24% Multi-ethnic/racial; Mage = 21.92 years) across the United States. Participants were recruited through Prolific.com and completed Qualtrics surveys. Participants reported the frequency of three types of science support received in high school: educational conversations (5-items;α=.88), schoolwork help (2-items;α=.72), and provision of materials (3-items;α=.67), also specifying whether each type was provided by mothers, fathers, or teachers. Additionally, students reported their science self-concepts (4-items;α=.83), positive task values (6-items;α=.84), and psychological cost value (2-items;α=.68). We used latent profile analyses to identify patterns of science support (Nylund-Gibson et al., 2019) and sequential regression analyses to examine the impact of these patterns, student status, and their interactions on science motivational beliefs, controlling for family socioeconomic status, undergraduate level, age, race/ethnicity, and gender. Significant interactions were further explored with simple slopes analyses (Preacher et al., 2006).
Three patterns of socializer science support emerged: a) Less Supported (44%), b) Moderate, Teacher-Focused Support (41%), and c) High, Parent-Focused Support (14%; Fig.3). Regression analyses showed significant interactions between these profiles and student status (Table.2). University students in the High, Parent-Focused Support profile had higher science self-concepts and task values compared to the Less Supported and Moderate, Teacher-Focused Support profiles (Fig.4). Community college students showed nonsignificant variations in science self-concepts and task values across support profiles. Regardless of student status, however, the Moderate, Teacher-Focused Support profile had higher task values than the Less Supported profile. Unexpectedly, the High, Parent-Focused Support profile reported the highest science cost values.
This study highlights the role of parental support in enhancing science self-concept and task values, even though this group was the smallest. However, increasing parental support should be managed carefully to avoid potential psychological costs. Future research should investigate the patterns of socializer support that are most beneficial for community college students, as the current findings suggest nonsignificant impacts compared to university students.

Author

• Nestor Tulagan, University of Rochester