The Impact of Family Social Capital on Students' STEM Major Intentions: A Serial Mediation Model of Self-Efficacy and STEM Value Beliefs

Under the continuous influence of STEM education, STEM major intentions becomes a key predictor of their subsequent educational path. This study dissected the predictive role of family social capital, self-efficacy, and STEM value beliefs on STEM major intentions based on stimulus-organism-response (SOR) theory. A total of 8362 Chinese secondary school students participated in this survey. The results indicated that family social capital was a significant direct predictor of STEM major intentions. Self-efficacy and STEM value beliefs acted as significant chain mediators between family social capital and STEM major intentions. Therefore, students should be given more support to realize the importance and prospects of STEM. Boosting their confidence and expectations for STEM majors can encourage more participation. Finally, the study's limitations and future research directions are outlined.