Current Research in Psychology and Behavioral Science
[ ISSN : 2833-0986 ]
Sense of Belonging of Black Students in STEM Majors: A Mixed Methods Study
1Wake Forest University, USA
2School of Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, US
Corresponding Authors
Abstract
Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, we explored Black STEM students’ sense of belonging as it pertained to the university and within their academic majors. Participants recruited from a large, urban university (N=89) were administered a revised Psychological Sense of School Membership (PSSM) survey. From that, participants (N=8) were purposively selected to participate in one-on-one follow-up interviews. Seven themes emerged during the qualitative phase of the study: (a) student perceptions of the university; (b) student perceptions of their STEM programs; (c) individual attributes; (d) family ties, interactions, and support; (e) faculty interaction and support; (f) peer interaction and support; and (g) student-generated recommendations.