Reclaiming and Recasting: The Development of an Anti-Racist Multidimensional African American STEM Identity Scale

• In Event: Advancing Socially Just and Antiracist Measures Through Mixed Methods: A Focus on Development and Validation

Abstract

Anti-racist psychometric instruments are vital for authentically assessing African American STEM students' experiences. By integrating quantitative data on academic performance with qualitative narratives of African American students, this research aims to 1) explore the lived experiences of African American STEM students, focusing on their identity formation and navigation of systematic barriers, and to 2) develop and validate an anti-racist psychometric instrument tailored to African American STEM students.

Critical frameworks can enhance mixed methods approaches in psychometric instrument development by improving the authenticity and accuracy of measuring constructs within communities of color. Critical Race Theory (CRT) and the Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST) are central in its theoretical framework. Both PVEST and CRT highlight the significance of lived experiences and the influence of social structures on identity development. As the methodology, we employ Critical Race Mixed Methodology (CRMM) (DeCuir-Gunby and Walker-DeVose, 2013), which prioritizes qualitative methods, particularly counter-storytelling, ensuring that considerations of race and racism are interwoven throughout the research process. This is a comprehensive approach that represents a departure from the conventional quantitative emphasis in mixed methods research.

Within the CRMM design, this study specifically highlights the development of the first anti-racist Multidimensional African American STEM Identity (MAASI) instrument. We intentionally connected qualitative and quantitative phases, methods, and data allowing qualitative data to validate and expand quantitative findings and vice versa. The qualitative phase began by drawing from CRT tenets to develop interview and focus group protocols addressing research questions and instrument purpose. We used semantic level coding and themes analyzed through a CRT lens to ensure alignment with central tenets and relevance to the instrument's purpose. Subsequent analyses linked themes back to participants’ direct quotes in the item development phase, emphasizing their lived experiences.

After developing items to cover each theme, we conducted a pilot study on the draft scale using online survey responses from 257 Black undergraduate students (Mage = 20.25, SD = 1.93, 72.2% women). The draft MAASI consisted of eight subscales measured on a 7-point scale: intrinsic motivation, community responsibility, family pressure, "prove them wrong" motivation, and four coping strategies (code-switching, withdrawal, work harder, and authenticity).

Exploratory factor analyses resulted in an 8-factor model with the eight subscales. In this model, items loaded sufficiently (above .30) on their factors, and each factor had at least 4 items. Furthermore, the factor content corresponded to our conceptual model. Confirmatory factor analyses led to a final model with CFI = .86, RMSEA = .051, and SRMR = .083. The factors had high internal consistency (> .70) except for one factor (α = .63). Validity was further established using correlations, t-tests, and ANOVAs.

In studying African American STEM student identity, anti-racist psychometric instruments are essential for understanding the interplay between identity, systemic barriers, and resilience. This study will contribute to the literature on STEM education by providing a nuanced understanding of Black STEM student identity and experiences. The findings will inform educators, policymakers, and institutions in developing strategies to promote a more equitable and inclusive educational environment.

Authors

• Angela M. White, Johnson C. Smith University

• Christy M. Byrd, North Carolina State University

• Tanya Malloy, North Carolina A&T State University