Validating the Engineering Fields Questionnaire for Use With African American Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Students

Abstract

Lent’s (2003) Engineering Fields Questionnaire assesses major components of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and includes measures of self-efficacy, coping efficacy, outcome expectations, technical interests, and educational goals. These measures have demonstrated good internal consistency in previous research, but validation information is more limited for use with African American STEM students. This paper discusses a validation study of an adapted version of Lent’s Engineering Fields Questionnaire, entitled the STEM Fields Questionnaire, with a sample of African American undergraduate STEM students ( n = 526). Validating the STEM Fields Questionnaire for African Americans is particularly important given the role of cultural values and certain experiences in career development among this population. Seven factors resulted from an exploratory factor analysis conducted in the present study: engineering/technology interests, outcome expectations, self-efficacy, STEM coping, goals, bio-chemical sciences interest/self-efficacy, and mathematics interest/self-efficacy, with four of six original subscales represented. Implications for research and practice were discussed.