Compensatory and Matthew effects in online STEM mentoring: How educational capital and motivation shape talent development in girls

Bayer S, Stoeger H, Ziegler A (2026)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2026

Journal

High ability studies Taylor & Francis (Routledge)

DOI: 10.1080/13598139.2026.2714438

Abstract

Our study examined how mentoring success in promoting girls in STEM depends on mentees’ environmental and motivational prerequisites. Following a systemic approach, we analyzed how participation in a one-year online mentoring program in STEM was associated with growth in endogenous STEM learning resources (learning capital) among 330 talented girls (Mage = 13.48), and what role (a) initial resources for STEM learning in their personal environment (educational capital), and (b) their motivation to engage with STEM played in this growth. On average, participants’ learning capital slightly improved during mentoring. We found a compensatory effect of mentoring: girls who began mentoring with low educational capital demonstrated larger increases in learning capital. This effect was particularly pronounced among participants with a comparatively low motivation to engage with STEM, suggesting that mentoring can compensate for both resource constraints and low motivation. Girls who started mentoring with high educational capital and high motivation also tended to improve more, indicating a positive Matthew effect. However, among well-resourced participants with lower motivation, online mentoring was detrimental to development. These findings underscore the importance of considering mentees’ prerequisites in explaining mentoring success and offer practical implications for talent mentoring for girls in STEM and beyond.

Authors with CRIS profile

Albert Ziegler Lehrstuhl für Pädagogische Psychologie und Exzellenzforschung

Involved external institutions

Universität Regensburg DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Bayer, S., Stoeger, H., & Ziegler, A. (2026). Compensatory and Matthew effects in online STEM mentoring: How educational capital and motivation shape talent development in girls. High ability studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/13598139.2026.2714438

MLA:

Bayer, Sonja, Heidrun Stoeger, and Albert Ziegler. "Compensatory and Matthew effects in online STEM mentoring: How educational capital and motivation shape talent development in girls." High ability studies (2026).

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