Abstract：
BACKGROUND: In today\'s world, which is progressively oriented towards science and technology and facing a growing demand for skilled professionals, it becomes essential to identify the factors that encourage individuals to pursue careers in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Previous research has shown that affective-motivational factors, math performance and gender influence STEM occupational and academic choices in adulthood. However, few studies examined how these factors may influence STEM choices as early as middle school. This study aims to assess how math anxiety, math self-efficacy, math performance and gender influence STEM school choices during middle school.
METHODS: We longitudinally assessed a group of 109 students (Year 6) over three school years, with measurements taken on three different occasions.
RESULTS: Findings indicated that individuals who made an STEM school choice experienced lower math anxiety, higher self-efficacy and math performance and were predominantly male. Furthermore, the results indicated that both math anxiety in Year 7 and self-efficacy in Year 6 made the most substantial unique contributions to the STEM school choice.
CONCLUSIONS: Math anxiety and math self-efficacy seem to be both crucial in influencing middle school students\' STEM choices, offering new perspectives for early interventions aimed at promoting more informed school choices.
METHODS: We longitudinally assessed a group of 109 students (Year 6) over three school years, with measurements taken on three different occasions.
RESULTS: Findings indicated that individuals who made an STEM school choice experienced lower math anxiety, higher self-efficacy and math performance and were predominantly male. Furthermore, the results indicated that both math anxiety in Year 7 and self-efficacy in Year 6 made the most substantial unique contributions to the STEM school choice.
CONCLUSIONS: Math anxiety and math self-efficacy seem to be both crucial in influencing middle school students\' STEM choices, offering new perspectives for early interventions aimed at promoting more informed school choices.
摘要：
背景：在当今世界，逐步面向科学技术，并面临对熟练专业人员日益增长的需求，确定鼓励个人从事STEM领域职业的因素变得至关重要(科学，技术,工程与数学）。以前的研究表明，情感动机因素，数学表现和性别影响STEM成年后的职业和学术选择。然而,很少有研究早在中学就研究这些因素如何影响STEM选择。这项研究旨在评估数学焦虑是如何，数学自我效能感,数学表现和性别会影响中学期间STEM学校的选择。
方法：我们纵向评估了三个学年的109名学生（6年级），在三种不同的场合进行测量。
结果：研究结果表明，选择STEM学校的人数学焦虑较低，自我效能感和数学表现较高，主要为男性。此外，结果表明，7年级的数学焦虑和6年级的自我效能感对STEM学校的选择做出了最大的独特贡献。
结论：数学焦虑和数学自我效能感似乎对影响中学生的STEM选择至关重要，为早期干预提供新的视角，旨在促进更知情的学校选择。
方法：我们纵向评估了三个学年的109名学生（6年级），在三种不同的场合进行测量。
结果：研究结果表明，选择STEM学校的人数学焦虑较低，自我效能感和数学表现较高，主要为男性。此外，结果表明，7年级的数学焦虑和6年级的自我效能感对STEM学校的选择做出了最大的独特贡献。
结论：数学焦虑和数学自我效能感似乎对影响中学生的STEM选择至关重要，为早期干预提供新的视角，旨在促进更知情的学校选择。
