Parental Academic Socialization and the Advancement of Black Women in STEM: A Literature Review (Research)

Although there is a high priority placed on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education across the country, a shortage exists among girls and women who pursue STEM degrees and careers. The underrepresentation of women in STEM education results in innumerable missed achievements and opportunities, ultimately affecting their future career paths in those fields. The implications are even broader for young African American women and for those who are economically disadvantaged. To this effect, parental influence has been established as a critical factor in building young women's involvement and confidence in STEM, catalyzing the value of mentoring and a supportive environment for diverse women. More specifically, parents' socialization practices employed to help improve academic achievement can impact advancement within the field. Research on this topic is expanding; however, there is a paucity of literature concerning Black women's perception of these messages at different age levels. To address these gaps and understand the current state of the literature, we conducted a literature review of articles published between 2000 to 2020 on the impact of parental academic socialization messages on Black women's advancement in STEM.