#731: Exploring the Mediating Role of Motivation in the Relationship Between Sense of Belonging and Intention to Leave STEM Majors

Intention to leave STEM majors remains a challenge, particularly in Latin America, where psychosocial predictors of persistence are underexplored. Grounded in Self-determination Theory, this study examined whether motivation mediates the relationship between sense of belonging and intention to leave a STEM major. Participants were 945 undergraduates from a private Mexican university who provided self-reports on sense of belonging (SB), intrinsic motivation (IM), extrinsic motivation (EM), and intention to leave STEM (ITL). Structural Equation Modeling indicated that SB was positively associated with IM and negatively associated with ITL, while showing no significant association with EM. IM was negatively associated with ITL and partially mediated the relationship between SB and ITL. EM showed no significant associations with ITL. Overall, the model explained 9% of the variance in ITL. Findings highlight the importance of socially supportive learning environments for fostering intrinsic motivation and persistence-related intentions in STEM majors.