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The Role of Social Support in Students’ Perceived Abilities and Attitudes Toward Math and Science

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Abstract

Social cognitive models examining academic and career outcomes emphasize constructs such as attitude, interest, and self-efficacy as key factors affecting students’ pursuit of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) courses and careers. The current research examines another under-researched component of social cognitive models: social support, and the relationship between this component and attitude and self-efficacy in math and science. A large cross-sectional design was used gathering data from 1,552 participants in four adolescent school settings from 5th grade to early college (41 % female, 80 % white). Students completed measures of perceived social support from parents, teachers and friends as well as their perceived ability and attitudes toward math and science. Fifth grade and college students reported higher levels of support from teachers and friends when compared to students at other grade levels. In addition, students who perceived greater social support for math and science from parents, teachers, and friends reported better attitudes and had higher perceptions of their abilities in math and science. Lastly, structural equation modeling revealed that social support had both a direct effect on math and science perceived abilities and an indirect effect mediated through math and science attitudes. Findings suggest that students who perceive greater social support for math and science from parents, teachers, and friends have more positive attitudes toward math and science and a higher sense of their own competence in these subjects.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a Grant awarded to Joan Barth from the National Science Foundation #0734074. The authors would like to thank Dr. Jeffery Parker for his assistance with the data analysis for this project and Eric Greenlee for his careful review of the manuscript.

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Author notes

  1. Rosanna E. Guadagno

    Present address: The National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 22230, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, University of Alabama, Box 870348, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487-0348, USA

    Lindsay Rice & Gabrielle P. A. Smith

  2. Institute for Social Science Research, University of Alabama, Box 870216, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487-0216, USA

    Joan M. Barth & Debra M. McCallum

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  1. Lindsay Rice
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  2. Joan M. Barth
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  3. Rosanna E. Guadagno
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  4. Gabrielle P. A. Smith
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  5. Debra M. McCallum
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Correspondence to Joan M. Barth.

Additional information

Alabama STEM Education Research Team includes Barth, Guadagno, McCallum and Marion Goldston, Beth Todd, and Carmen Burkhalter at the University of Alabama.

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Rice, L., Barth, J.M., Guadagno, R.E. et al. The Role of Social Support in Students’ Perceived Abilities and Attitudes Toward Math and Science. J Youth Adolescence 42, 1028–1040 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9801-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9801-8

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