Resilience, gender, and academic trajectories: factors influencing women's persistence in STEM university degrees
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56124/sapientiae.v9i20.007Keywords:
Subjective academic persistence, Self-efficacy, Academic resilience, Gender and higher education, gender climate and women in STEMAbstract
The underrepresentation of women in STEM disciplines remains a persistent challenge, explained by the interaction of individual, institutional, and sociocultural factors that shape their academic trajectories. Understanding these elements is fundamental to explaining subjective academic persistence, understood as students' commitment, motivation, and graduation expectations. This study analyzed the factors influencing the persistence of Ecuadorian women in STEM programs, integrating principles from the Sociocognitive Career Theory and self-efficacy theory. A survey of 150 students was used to construct indices of social origin, STEM self-efficacy, gender climate, academic support, and persistence, which were then psychometrically validated. Cluster analysis identified two distinct profiles: vulnerable students and students with favorable conditions and high persistence. Contrast tests revealed significant differences between the profiles across all evaluated indices. Furthermore, robust and logistic regression models showed that STEM self-efficacy is the most consistent predictor of subjective academic persistence, while an unfavorable gender climate acts as an inhibitor. These findings suggest that persistence is sustained through processes of academic resilience, where female students reinterpret and actively confront adverse environments. The study provides relevant empirical and analytical evidence for understanding the dynamics that affect women's retention in STEM and for guiding institutional policies and educational strategies aimed at reducing gender gaps and strengthening their academic and professional development.
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