Can i really complete this CSE doctoral degree? Women´s confidence and self-rated abilities

Confidence affects persistence in computer science and computer engineering (CSE) doctoral programs. With data from 328 doctoral women in CSE, this study examined the relationships between confidence and academic self-ratings for women in different stages of doctoral study, with and without accounting for contextual factors that predict confidence. Also examined are factors that may predict self-ratings. Our findings reveal that these women are generally confident that they will earn their doctoral degree. Their academic self-ratings positively predict confidence even when contextual factors are taken into account, although the predictions vary across stages in doctoral education. Certain individual characteristics are associated with self-ratings. Explanations and implications of these findings are discussed.