Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6529-4300

Date of Award

8-31-2026

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Counseling

First Advisor

Kerrie Wilkins-Yel

Second Advisor

Boaz Levy

Third Advisor

Nedim Yel

Abstract

Women, particularly Women of Colour (WOC), remain underrepresented in STEM. In the last two decades, research has sought to better understand women’s experiences in STEM, highlighting challenges such as isolation, sexism, and racism, which negatively impact mental health and STEM persistence. While these mental health challenges have been documented, further work is needed to examine how these experiences are related to trauma symptoms and physical health outcomes, as well as the mechanisms through which they shape academic outcomes. This quantitative study investigated the relationships among toxic STEM experiences (i.e., gendered racism, sexism, and isolation), trauma symptoms and physical health concerns, STEM support (e.g., faculty, peers, and advisor-advisee alliance), and academic outcomes (i.e., working capacity and STEM persistence). The study also examined both the direct effects of trauma and physical health concerns, and STEM support on academic outcomes, as well as their roles as mediating mechanisms linking toxic STEM environments to these outcomes.

Structural equation modeling was employed using data collected from 1,762 graduate women enrolled in U.S.-based STEM programs. Guided by QuantCrit and Critical Race Feminism, analyses were conducted across racial/ethnic subgroups to provide a more nuanced understanding of diverse experiences, including White women (N = 909) and WOC (N = 853), as well as specific WOC groups: Latine (N = 182), Black (N = 125), Southeast Asian (N = 155), South Asian (N = 112), and East Asian women (N = 182).

Findings indicated that higher levels of toxic STEM experiences were associated with greater trauma symptoms, poorer STEM support, and lower academic outcomes. Trauma and STEM support were also found to serve as key pathways linking toxic STEM environments to academic outcomes. Results also revealed important subgroup differences, suggesting that while women may experience similar forms of harm, the presence, strength, and impact of these relationships varied across groups, underscoring that these experiences are not uniform.

This study expands the STEM graduate mental health literature by extending beyond commonly examined mental health outcomes (e.g., depression, stress, and anxiety) to include trauma and physical health, thereby highlighting the role of chronic interpersonal and systemic stressors in shaping well-being and academic functioning. The findings offer important implications for STEM stakeholders, researchers, mental health clinicians, and graduate women, underscoring the need for systemic and relational changes to improve retention, well-being, and equity for women in STEM.

Comments

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