Engineering Role Identity Fosters Grit Differently for Women First- and Continuing-Generation College Students

This study examined two distinct groups of women in engineering (i.e., first-generation and continuing-generation college students) to understand how the engineering role identity constructs of interest, recognition, and performance/competence fostered grit-perseverance of effort and grit-consistency of interest. A survey was administered to first-year engineering students at four institutions across the United States. The sample of women was n = 675, from which n = 144 were identified as first-generation college students and n = 531 were identified as continuing-generation college students. Using existing instruments, two structural equation models were created to test the relationships between engineering role identity constructs and grit. The model of first-generation college students had high interest in engineering, which, in turn, was predictive of their grit-consistency of interest, while their beliefs about performing well and understanding engineering content was predictive of their grit-perseverance of effort. In the model of continuing-generation college students, being recognized as someone that can do engineering was predictive of grit-perseverance of effort while seeing oneself as an engineer was predictive of their grit-consistency of interest. The results of this work highlight different aspects of identity that may foster grit for women in engineering depending upon their parents' level of education.