Family factors associated with sixth-grade adolescents' math and science career interests

Career Development Quarterly, Sept, 2004 by Sherri L. Turner, Jason C. Steward, Richard T. Lapan

FSMA. The original Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scales consisted of nine separate 12-item scales measuring nine different math attitudes. These scales, which have been used in over 35 research studies, have been adapted previously for special populations by reducing the number of items used to measure each construct. In each instance, the abridged FSMA scales were found to have factor structures comparable to the original scales, as well as strong internal consistency estimates (Betz & Hackett, 1983; Mulhern & Rae, 1998; Vezeau, Chouinard, Bouffard, & Couture, 1998).

For the purposes of this present study, given the age of the students and the need to keep the research questionnaire brief, five FSMA scales that bore directly on our research questions were chosen. In addition, we further reduced the length of these scales by eliminating items with the lowest factor loadings in the original norming group (Fennema & Sherman, 1976). All FSMA items were scored on 5-point Likert scales with positively worded items scored from 5 (strongly agree) to 1 (strongly disagree) and negatively worded items scored from 5 (strongly disagree) to 1 (strongly agree).

Psychometric properties of the abbreviated FSMA were assessed in our sample using a principal components analysis with a varimax rotation. As predicted, five factors with eigenvalues greater than 1.00 were found (total variance explained = 67.77). Each item of the FSMA that was used for this study loaded more highly on its predicted factors than on any other factors, with factor loadings ranging from .44 to .82 for the Math Confidence Scale, from .59 to .86 for the Usefulness of Mathematics Scale, from .64 to .75 for the Mother Scale, from .61 to .82 for the Father Scale, and from .65 to .81 for the Mathematics as a Male Domain Scale. These scales are further described below.

Perceived mother support. Perceived mother support was measured using the abbreviated FSMA Mother Scale. The scale consists of four items (three scored positively and one scored negatively). Sample items are the following: "My mother has strongly encouraged me to do well in mathematics" (scored positively) and "My mother wouldn't encourage me to plan a career which involves math" (scored negatively). For this scale, M = 4.18, SD = .72, [alpha] = .75, skewness = -.1, and kurtosis = 1.3.

Perceived father support. Perceived father support was measured using the abbreviated FSMA Father Scale. This scale consists of four items (three scored positively and one scored negatively). Sample items are the following: "My father has always been interested in my progress in mathematics" (scored positively) and "My father wouldn't encourage me to plan a career which involves math" (scored negatively). For this scale, M = 4.05, SD = .89, [alpha] = .83, skewness = -1.1, and kurtosis = 1.2.

Career gender-typing. Career gender-typing was measured using the abbreviated FSMA Mathematics as a Male Domain Scale. This scale consists of three items, all scored negatively. Sample items for girls are the following: "Girls can do just as well as boys in mathematics" and "Studying math is just as good for girls as for boys." Sample items for boys are the following: "Boys can do just as well as girls in mathematics" and "Studying math is just as good for boys as for girls." For this scale, M = 1.79, SD = .89, [alpha] = .72, skewness = 1.1, and kurtosis = .9.