Mental Illness

Affluence and STEM: Widening Gender Gaps

A new study reveals that as countries grow wealthier, the gender disparity in STEM graduation rates tends to increase. This research challenges previous notions that gender equality alone dictates these patterns, suggesting instead that national economic prosperity plays a more significant role. The findings, based on a longitudinal analysis of 113 countries over 25 years, indicate that men become increasingly more likely to graduate from STEM programs as a nation's affluence rises, particularly in fields like engineering and ICT.