Assessing Readiness for Advancing Women Scientists Using the Transtheoretical Model

The under-representation of women in the science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines is of broad national concern. This paper reports on the development of new Transtheoretical Model-based measures to assess readiness to take action to advance women scientists. Reliable, valid measures of stage of change, decisional balance, and self-efficacy were developed with a sample of science faculty from a northeastern university. Theoretical relationships among the constructs were validated with the current data, offering support for the application of the Transtheoretical Model to this area. These measures are being used as part of a campus wide initiative to examine the advancement of women scientists before and after a series of interventions.