Neurocognitive correlates of spatial thinking mediate the relation between socioeconomic status and STEM achievement.

ABSTRACT: The disparity of success in STEM between students from high and low socioeconomic backgrounds is a significant educational concern. Research in STEM education has shown that spatial skills play a role in learning, but limited research has examined whether spatial thinking could help to explain socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in STEM. The current study investigated whether spatial thinking could help to explain SES disparities, as measured by parental education and family income, across high school students' STEM achievement at the cognitive (N = 303) and neural (N = 44) levels. The current study investigated a mostly middle- and high-income sample that was highly educated (majority of parents with a bachelor's degree or higher). Results demonstrated a significant relation between SE

SUBMITTER: Pilato J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12748971 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature