Encouraging talented girls in math and science: effects of a guidance intervention

Although gifted girls are closing the gap in math and science achievement, they continue to lose interest and drop out of math/science careers. An intervention was developed for talented at‐risk young women that emphasized enhancing career identity and exploration, building science self‐efficacy and self‐esteem and reducing risky behaviors. Self‐esteem, school self‐efficacy, and future self‐efficacy increased from pre‐test to the 3‐ to 4‐month follow‐up. Girls significantly increased their seeking information about career and were likely to stay with nontraditional choices. The risk factor suicidality also decreased over this period.