The Structure and Function of Deficit and Anti-Deficit Framing: A Systematic Literature Review

The existence of differential educational outcomes as a function of students’ background is well-established and especially severe in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). These differential outcomes adversely impact people’s lives, careers, and the progress of science. Deficit and anti-deficit framing are useful tools for understanding and ameliorating these inequities. However, the scholarship about deficit and anti-deficit framing is often unfamiliar to STEM professionals in higher education. In this systematic literature review, we formulate a phenomenological description of the structure and function of deficit and anti-deficit framing, as relevant to STEM education and training in higher education. These results highlight how deficit frames fundamentally lower expectations of students and reduce students’ achievement, while anti-deficit frames raise expectations and improve student achievement. Through unpacking the nuanced and multifaceted mechanisms of how these frames function, these findings have implications for upholding rigorous standards in higher STEM education and training, and advancing the progress of science.