Although personal inputs and contextual variables in social cognitive career theory (SCCT) are recognized as key factors that affect career interests and choices, research has given minimal attention to the role of these variables in a collectivistic culture context. We present a study examining science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career decision-making process of 12 Taiwanese high school students aged 15-17, using a consensual qualitative research method. The data analysis resulted in four domains: personal input, contextual variables, outcome expectations, and self-efficacy identified by SCCT. These results provide a foundation for future research on cross-cultural STEM career development. Implications highlight the importance of counselors in encouraging students of collectivistic culture background to pursue STEM careers.

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the STEM Career Interest Survey (STEM-CCIS) with data from 590 high-school students in Taiwan. Measurement models based on Social-Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and STEM discipline-specific dimensions (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) were examined using confirmatory factor analyses. Findings from confirmatory factor analyses indicated that STEM-CCIS possesses adequate reliability and factorial validity, replicating the sound psychometric properties of the original English version of the STEM-CIS. Implications for the use of the STEM-CCIS are discussed.

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Gender equity in STEM demands that girls and women are provided with learning experiences, opportunities, and resources that meet their educational and vocational goals. This study examined gender difference in STEM learning experience, parental involvement, and self-efficacy to predict STEM career aspiration of different sociocultural groups. Two independent samples of high school students, one recruited from a collectivist culture (Taiwanese sample, N = 590) and the other recruited randomly from an individualist culture (American sample, N = 590), were used to examine the differences. Findings suggested a greater gender difference in STEM learning experience, parental involvement, and STEM self-efficacy of students from the collectivist culture than students from the individualist culture. Results of logistic analyses showed differential prediction of STEM career aspiration in two different cultural contexts. Findings were discussed in light of socio-cultural contexts.