UC Irvine

Across development, students’ motivational beliefs have been found to typically decrease. A few recent studies have noted that not all individuals may display declines (e.g., stability). Nevertheless, these studies often involved mostly White participants and we know less about the motivational belief development in other racial/ethnic groups. In my dissertation, I examined the heterogeneity in the expectancies for success and subjective task value development in multiple races/ethnicities. Additionally, I examined potential factors that may lead to varying developmental patterns among students, such as the role of various social identities and the socializers. In Study 1, I estimated growth mixture models and examined the underlying patterns that may be hidden in the average trends. I found two classes of stable trajectories for expectancies for success; five classes of stable, decreasing, or increasing trajectories for interest and utility value; and three classes of stable, decreasing, or increasing trajectories for attainment value among Asian and Latinx students from Southern California across Grades 8 through 10. Additionally, group comparisons were made at the intersection of race/ethnicity and gender. Findings suggested that students from marginalized groups (e.g., Latina students) do not always display more negative motivational belief development compared to those privileged in math (e.g., Asian female students). In Study 2, I estimated latent transition models and examined the varying change patterns in motivational beliefs in four racial/ethnic groups (i.e., White, Asian, Latinx, and Black) across Grades 9 to 11 using a nationally representative sample in the U.S. Additionally, I examined the role of parents and teachers in shaping students’ motivational beliefs. Findings suggested diverse patterns of stability, decreases, and increases in motivational beliefs in all racial/ethnic groups. Parent socialization and perceived teacher unfairness were significantly associated with some changes in motivational belief development (e.g., perceived teacher unfairness and negative development of interest among Black students). My dissertation demonstrates the variability in motivational belief development among students within the same racial/ethnic group. Overall, my findings challenge the traditional racial/ethnic stereotypes that exist in STEM, suggest ways for researchers to highlight the strengths of marginalized groups, and present ways to create a more equitable learning environment to foster positive motivational beliefs in all youths.