Eric.ed.gov – The Development of Mathematical Self-Concept during College: Unique Benefits for Women in Math-Intensive Majors? ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.

While previous research has outlined factors that can be used to predict academic self-concept among college students, much of this research pays little attention to how self-concept develops differently for unique subgroups of students. This paper examines the development of mathematical self-concept during college for four groups of students who entered college with significantly different levels of math confidence: (1) men in math-intensive majors; (2) women in math-intensive majors; (3) men in non-math-intensive majors; and (4) women in non-math-intensive majors. Data are examined from surveys of over 14,000 college freshmen at 191 institutions who were followed up 4 years after college entry. Regression analyses describe how the factors contributing to the development of math self-concept differentiate among the four groups and suggest how women who persist in math-intensive majors comprise a unique group of students. While the gender gap in math self-concept persists through college for the majority of students, women, as a group, who majored and persisted in math-intensive fields actually gained confidence in math during college. Other characteristics distinguishing this group were: (1) the lack of relationship between the Scholastic Aptitude Test Math score and math confidence 4 years later; and (2) high degree of benefit gained from tutoring other students. On the other hand, interactions by this group (but not by men) with faculty were associated with declines in math confidence. (Contains 29 references.) (Author/DB)