Stereotype Threat, Academic Self-Efficacy, and STEM Achievement Among Female Undergraduates in North Central Nigeria

This study examines stereotype threat, academic self-efficacy, and STEM academic achievement among female undergraduate students in universities in North Central Nigeria, addressing a research gap on the psychological barriers to female STEM participation in this geopolitical zone. Stereotype threat, the concern about confirming negative stereotypes about one's group, has been identified as a mechanism suppressing female performance in STEM globally, yet empirical evidence specific to Nigerian university students remains scarce. The study employs a mixed-methods design, combining a survey of 280 female STEM undergraduates from the University of Abuja and Benue State University with focus group discussions involving 40 participants. The Stereotype Threat Scale, the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, and end-of-semester STEM grades were used as instruments. Quantitative data were analysed using structural equation modelling, and qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Results indicate that stereotype threat significantly reduces academic self-efficacy, which in turn mediates the relationship between stereotype threat and STEM achievement. Focus group discussions revealed that negative faculty comments and gendered assumptions in classroom discourse were the most frequently reported stereotype threat triggers. Women who identified with strong female role models in their departments showed significantly reduced threat susceptibility. These findings extend stereotype threat theory to the North Central Nigerian tertiary education context. Universities are advised to implement identity-safe classroom practices and mentorship programmes pairing female STEM students with professional female role models. Keywords: stereotype threat, academic self-efficacy, STEM achievement, female undergraduates, North Central Nigeria.