Socialization of Gender Stereotypes Related to Attributes and Professions Among Young Spanish School-Aged Children

The interaction between gender and the number of brothers on creativity in Sudanese pupils: A cross-sectional study using the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking-Figural (TTCT-Figural) performance

The Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT) is commonly used to assess creativity in pupils, but research is limited on its effectiveness in identifying cognitive levels and how factors like gender and brothers count influence creativity. This study investigates the interaction between gender and the number of brothers on creativity as assessed by the (TTCT-Figural: Circles test) among students aged 7 to 13. A cross-sectional study design was employed, involving a sample of 11,636 students, including 5571 males (47.9 %) and 6065 females (52.1 %), selected from public and private schools across Sudan. The findings demonstrated an interaction effect between gender and the number of brothers, revealing significant gender differences in (TTCT-Figural) performance, particularly across the domains of fluency, flexibility, and originality, with females outperforming males in all three areas. Notably, no gender differences in flexibility were observed at ages 10 and 13, nor in fluency at age 13, and originality showed no gender disparity across all age groups. Additionally, TTCT-Figural performance did not vary significantly across different age groups. The majority of students exhibited very low performance at age 7, with slight improvements noted at ages 8 and 9. However, after age 9, there was a decline in the number of students performing at a moderate level. Moreover, these results emphasize the importance of understanding the role of gender and familial factors, such as the number of brothers, in creativity development. The implications of this study suggest the need for targeted educational programs and policies intended at enhancing (TTCT-Figural) performance, particularly for pupils, to adoptive creativity further effectively.

Gender Differences in Coping Strategies and Life Satisfaction Following Cognitive-Behavioral and Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Crohn's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background and Objective: Crohn's Disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory condition with significant physical and psychological impacts, often requiring comprehensive self-management. This study examines the effects of COBMINDEX (Cognitive-Behavioral and Mindfulness Intervention with Daily Exercise) on coping strategies and life satisfaction in CD patients, focusing on gender-specific responses. Study objectives were to assess the impact of COBMINDEX on adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies and life satisfaction in CD patients, and to examine gender differences in these outcomes. Materials and Methods: A pre-planned secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, conducted from 2018 to 2021, at two public tertiary hospitals in Israel. A total of 120 CD patients (45 men and 75 women) were randomly assigned to either theCOBMINDEX group or a wait-list control group. Participants were assessed at baseline and post-intervention for coping strategies, mindfulness, psychological symptoms, and life satisfaction using validated scales. Quantile regression explored the gender-specific predictors of life satisfaction. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05085925) and Israel Ministry of Health (MOH_2020- 02- 24_008721. asp). Results: Both genders showed significant improvements in mindfulness, emotion-focused coping, and active coping (p < 0.05). Women exhibited reduced dysfunctional coping and greater emotional support use. For men, emotion-focused coping and mindfulness positively predicted life satisfaction, while for women, reductions in psychological symptoms and dysfunctional coping were significant predictors (p < 0.01). Conclusions: COBMINDEX enhances coping strategies and life satisfaction in CD patients, with notable gender differences. These findings highlight the importance of gender-tailored psychological interventions to improve overall patient well-being.

The decision-making process and experiences of women returning to work after parental leave: a qualitative systematic review protocol

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the decision-making process of women returning to work after maternity leave or parental leave and explore the influence of cultural norms and societal expectations on their choices. Additionally, we seek to understand the lived experiences of the women in this context.

INTRODUCTION

Cultural norms and societal expectations significantly affect women's decisions regarding post-childbirth employment. However, a comprehensive understanding of these influences on women's experiences returning to work after parental leave is lacking.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

We will include qualitative studies examining women's decision-making processes and experiences of returning to work after parental leave, with a focus on the influence of cultural norms and societal expectations. Studies from diverse cultural and geographical settings, including peer-reviewed journals and gray literature, will be considered without restrictions on publication date or language.

METHODS

The review will adhere to the JBI approach for qualitative systematic reviews. Major academic databases and search engines, such as CINAHL, PubMed, and Google Scholar, will be used. Study selection will involve screening titles and abstracts for relevance, followed by a full-text assessment against inclusion criteria by two independent reviewers. Critical appraisal using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research will evaluate study rigor. Data extraction will be conducted by two independent reviewers, using the standardized JBI data extraction tool within JBI SUMARI, to identify key themes and findings related to the women's decision-making process and lived experiences of returning to work after parental leave. The meta-aggregation approach will be utilized to synthesize findings, with confidence assessed through study quality and consistency. Any methodological deviations will be documented. Findings will be graded using the ConQual approach and presented in a summary of findings table.

DISCUSSION

By synthesizing data from different cultural contexts, this review will help bridge the gap in understanding how these factors influence women's choices. Rigor in the review will be ensured through the process of study selection, appraisal, and synthesis using the JBI approach. The findings will provide challenges faced by women and inform policies to help support their transition back to work.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42024546633.

Socio-demographic factors related to children's knowledge about their rights to healthcare services in transitional Albania

Background

Our aim was to assess the level and socio-demographic correlates of knowledge about rights to healthcare services among children in post-communist Albania in order to inform targeted interventions and policies to promote equitable healthcare access for all children.

Methods

An online survey conducted in Albania in September 2022 included a nationwide representative sample of 7,831 schoolchildren (≈54% girls) aged 12-15 years. A structured and anonymous questionnaire was administered inquiring about children's knowledge on their rights to healthcare services. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association of children's knowledge about their rights to healthcare services with socio-demographic characteristics.

Results

Overall, about 78% of the children had knowledge about their rights to healthcare services. In multivariable adjusted logistic regression models, independent "predictors" of lack of knowledge about rights to healthcare services included male gender (OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.1-1.3), younger age (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1-1.4), pertinence to Roma/Egyptian community (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1-2.2), and a poor/very poor economic situation (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.0-1.6).

Conclusion

Our findings indicate a significantly lower level of knowledge about rights to healthcare services among children from low socioeconomic families and especially those pertinent to ethnic minorities such as Roma/Egyptian communities, which can result in limited access to essential health services, increased vulnerability to health disparities, and barriers to receiving appropriate care and advocacy for their health and well-being. Seemingly, gender, ethnicity, and economic status are crucial for children's knowledge of their healthcare rights because these factors shape their access to information, influence their experiences with healthcare systems, and can drive policy and practice to address disparities and ensure equitable access to health services. Health professionals and policymakers in Albania and elsewhere should be aware of the unmet needs for healthcare services due to lack of awareness to navigate the system particularly among disadvantaged population groups.

The Reciprocal Effects of Prosociality, Peer Support and Psychological Well-Being in Adolescence: A Four-Wave Longitudinal Study

The aim of this study was to analyze the reciprocal effects between prosociality, peer support and psychological well-being using a four-wave longitudinal study and a within-person analytical approach (random intercept cross-lagged panel model, RI-CLPM). A sample of 587 adolescents (males = 308; Mage = 14.23, SD = 0.58) enrolled in the first year of high school (9th grade) were recruited and followed over four years from 2016 (Time 1 [T1]) to 2019 (Time 4 [T4]). Once a year, they filled in a questionnaire measuring prosociality, peer support, and psychological well-being. The results from the RI-CLPM revealed that, at the between-person level, prosociality, peer support and psychological well-being were all positively associated. Conversely, at the within-person level and at all survey points, only psychological well-being positively predicted prosociality one year later. Specifically, we found that adolescents with higher levels of psychological well-being were more likely to show a tendency for prosocial behaviors over time. Promoting interventions aimed at enhancing psychological well-being may make adolescents more likely to engage in positive behaviors, such as prosocial ones, in a variety of contexts, thereby creating favorable social environments.

The influence of parents on children's consciousness of gender equality: a multi-group structural equation modeling approach

Objective

This study aimed to understand the consciousness of gender equality among school-aged children in China and its influencing factors using structural equation modeling to explore the pathways, intensity and group differences among these factors.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted using stratified random whole-group sampling of primary school students in grades 1-6 and their parents who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. In this study, 1,312 valid questionnaires were collected from a total of 1,500 school-aged children in Hunan Province, China (effective response rate of 87.5%). Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0 software. Statistical inference consisted of t-tests, analysis of variance, the LSD test, Pearson correlation analysis, multiple stepwise linear regression analysis and structural equation modeling.

Results

School-aged children had the lowest consciousness of gender equality in the area of occupation and relatively higher consciousness in the areas of family and school. Children's age, gender, gender role, parent-child relationship, teacher-student relationship and parents' gender equality consciousness had predictive effects on children's consciousness of gender equality. The structural equation model constructed in this study is applicable to school-aged children of different genders. There was a significant difference in the structural equation modeling for children in different study period groups.

Conclusion

In the education process, parents and teachers should attempt to improve their own consciousness of gender equality, integrate the concept of androgynous education, enhance close relationships with children, and adopt appropriate education methods according to the characteristics of different groups of children.

The Bigger Picture: The Effect of Context on Gender Role Conflict in Greek Men

Gender Role Conflict (GRC) is manifested through certain behavioral patterns when the person adopts unquestionably restrictive gender roles with negative consequences both at intrapersonal and interpersonal level. There is evidence that socially desired masculine behavior is in transition in modern Greek society boosting GRC among Greek men. In this study, GRC patterns have been assessed experimentally using the imagery technique in 1051 Greek men. Emotionally elicited vignettes were created, each demonstrating a different context (Men's gender role conflict: Psychological costs, consequences, and an agenda for change. American Psychological Association): (1) developmental, (2) family - friends' relations and (3) conformity to masculinity ideology, homonegativity and violent behaviour. A mixed ANOVA revealed a significant three-way interaction between GRC patterns scoring, GRC vignettes and time (before and after reading the GRC vignettes). Further investigation of the three-way interaction revealed that vignettes reflecting social pressure to conform to masculinity ideology in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood as well as vignettes reflecting outright bullying to conform to such stereotypic roles had a significant impact on GRC patterns scoring, mostly decreasing conflict. The construction and testing of the GRC vignettes can update the existing tools for assessing GRC. Moreover, the vignettes could be employed to shed light on the possible causes of GRC.

What shapes attitudes on gender roles among adolescents in Bangladesh

Background

In Bangladesh, large gender differentials exist in outcomes in almost all spheres of life, stemming from conservative norms and attitudes around gender. Adolescence is a crucial period for social-emotional learning that can shape gender norms and attitudes.

Objective

The aim of the paper is to investigate the extent to which adolescents hold egalitarian attitudes toward gender roles, and to examine the factors that influence egalitarian gender attitudes.

Methods

The paper uses data from a nationally representative sample survey of 7,800 unmarried girls and 5,523 unmarried boys ages 15–19 years. Adolescents were considered to have egalitarian attitudes on gender role if they disagreed with all the following four unequal gender role statements with regards to socio-economic participation, while respondents who agreed with any one of the four statements were considered to have non-egalitarian attitudes: (1) It is important that sons have more education than daughters, (2) Outdoor games are only for boys, not girls, (3) Household chores are for women only, not for men, even if the woman works outside the home, and (4) Women should not be allowed to work outside the home. Multivariable linear probability regression analysis was implemented to identify the factors shaping attitudes on gender roles.

Results

Unmarried girls and boys differ hugely in their views on gender roles regarding socio economic participation-girls were much more egalitarian than boys (58 vs. 19%). The multivariate linear probability model results show girls and boys who completed at least grade 10 were 31% points and 15% points more likely to have egalitarian views on gender roles respectively, compared to girls and boys with primary or less education. Having strong connection with parents is associated with having egalitarian views on gender roles among girls but not boys. Adolescents' individual attitude on gender role is highly associated with the views of their community peers for both girls and boys. Girls and boys who had participated in adolescent programs were 6–7% points more likely to have egalitarian attitude than those who were not exposed to these programs. Egalitarian views were also significantly higher, by 5% points among girls and 6% points among boys, who were members of social organizations compared to those who were not. Watching television had positive influence on egalitarian attitudes among girls but not among boys. To create a more egalitarian society, both men and women need to hold progressive attitudes toward gender roles. The interventions must be multilevel, influencing adolescents at the personal, interpersonal, communal, and societal levels.

I am done with this! Women dropping out of engineering majors

Women are still underrepresented in STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). One of the possible drivers behind this gender gap in the labour market is the female dropout from STEM education. The causes of the gender differences in the persistence of pursuing STEM studies have been explained by multiple factors related to interest and resolution in this type of career. The goal of the present research is to study the Engineering persistence gender gap in higher education by exploring the main factors underlying the leakage in the pipeline of Engineering fields. Our study reports the results of 34 qualitative in-depth interviews where internal barriers, stereotypes and external obstacles are assessed by women who have left their university degrees, compared with men who have withdrawn and women who have persisted. Results from the content analysis suggest that the undermining of persistence in Engineering fields is related to factors such as the chilly and hostile environment in classes or the workload from an excessively demanding curriculum. Other factors affecting women’s withdrawal are the lack of role models and the perceived incongruity between the female gender role and STEM roles in society, leading to a weakening of female students’ self-efficacy and eroding their sense of belongingness, even making them consider dropping out of their Engineering degree. These findings provide information for the design of future STEM interventions aimed to enhance women’s persistence in STEM university studies.

Where Sex Meets Gender: How Sex and Gender Come Together to Cause Sex Differences in Mental Illness

Sex differences are prevalent in multiple mental disorders. Internalizing disorders are more commonly diagnosed in women, whereas externalizing and neurodevelopmental disorders are more often diagnosed in men. Significant sex/gender differences are reported in prevalence, symptom profile, age of onset, comorbidities, functional impairment, prognosis, as well as in responses to various treatments. In this conceptual article, we discuss theories and empirical studies of sex- and gender-related influences in mental health, by focusing on three examples: autism spectrum disorder (ASD), acknowledged as a disorder whose roots are mainly biological; eating disorders, whose origins are considered to be mainly psychosocial, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an environmentally caused disorder with both psychosocial and biological underpinnings. We examine the ways in which sex differences emerge, from conception through adulthood. We also examine how gender dichotomies in exposures, expectations, role assumptions, and cultural traditions impact the expression of our three selected mental illnesses. We are especially interested in how sex-based influences and gender-based influences interact with one another to affect mental illness. We suggest that sex and gender are multi-faceted and complex phenomena that result in variations, not only between men and women, but also within each sex and gender through alterations in genes, hormone levels, self-perceptions, trauma experiences, and interpersonal relationships. Finally, we propose a conceptual diatheses-stress model, depicting how sex and gender come together to result in multiple sex/gender differences across mental disorders. In our model, we categorize diatheses into several categories: biological, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental. These diatheses interact with exposure to stressors, ranging from relatively minor to traumatic, which allows for the sometimes bidirectional influences of acute and long-term stress responses. Sex and gender are discussed at every level of the model, thereby providing a framework for understanding and predicting sex/gender differences in expression, prevalence and treatment response of mental disorders. We encourage more research into this important field of study.

Are We Still a Sexist Society? Primary Socialisation and Adherence to Gender Roles in Childhood

Background: The internalisation of gender stereotypes has long-term impacts on the aspirations, opportunities and psychosocial well-being of people. The main objective of this study is to measure the adherence to gender roles among children, analysing the link between their roles’ internalisation, the family context and the socioeconomic environment. Method: During the Spring 2021, a survey was carried in Rome on children aged 8–11 through a structured questionnaire. The explanatory dimensions of the analysed topics were identified and a survey questionnaire with an ad hoc administration method were developed. Results: The results show a widespread internalisation of traditional gender roles among the respondents and differences by sex were found, since their acceptance is higher among boys for male roles and among girls for female roles. As the age increases, the adherence to male roles decreases for both boys and girls, while high levels of prosociality resulted in a lower adherence to female roles among boys. No significant relations were found with family and environmental variables. Conclusions: These findings show how the internalisation of gender stereotypes is already traceable at this age, and due to a different path of primary socialisation, boys and girls develop their gender identity consistent with social expectations. The lack of significant relations with environmental variables could be related to the age of the respondents, as the process of primary socialisation imbued with gender stereotypes still does not overlap secondary socialisation. These trends should be monitored during late childhood since at this age children are cognitively plastic, but also vulnerable and influenceable by surrounding stimuli. This research approach, especially if extended to a wider geographical scale, can provide important knowledge to support the relational well-being of children and equal opportunities of society as a whole.

Gender Differences in Self-Estimated Intelligence: Exploring the Male Hubris, Female Humility Problem

Despite evidence from cognitive psychology that men and women are equal in measured intelligence, gender differences in self-estimated intelligence (SEI) are widely reported with males providing systematically higher estimates than females. This has been termed the male hubris, female humility effect. The present study explored personality factors that might explain this. Participants (N = 228; 103 male, 125 female) provided self-estimates of their general IQ and for Gardner’s multiple intelligences, before completing the Cattell Culture Fair IQ test as an objective measure of intelligence. They also completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) as a measure of sex-role identification, and measures of general and academic self-esteem. Both gender and sex-role differences were observed for SEI, with males and participants of both genders who scored high in masculinity offering higher self-estimates. By comparing estimated and observed IQ, we were able to rule out gender differences in overall accuracy but observed a pattern of systematic underestimation in females. An hierarchical multiple regression showed significant independent effects of gender, masculinity, and self-esteem. Mixed evidence was observed for gender differences in the estimation of multiple intelligences, though moderately sized sex-role differences were observed. The results offer a far more nuanced explanation for the male hubris, female humility effect that includes the contribution of sex role identification to individual and group differences.

Gender Differences Influence Gender Equality Awareness, Self-Esteem, and Subjective Well-Being Among School-Age Children in China

The objective of this study was to investigate and analyze the status and influential factors of gender equality awareness, self-esteem, and subjective well-being in school-age boys and girls. The results can help schools and teachers provide more effective gender equality and mental health education. In the study, 284 valid questionnaires were collected from a total of 323 school-age boys and girls in the Hunan Province, China (effective response rate of 87.93%). The questionnaire covered gender equality awareness, self-esteem, and subjective well-being, with the influencing factors analyzed through multiple linear regression. There was a significant correlation among children’s gender equality awareness in all areas examined (family, occupation, and school), with both boys and girls having the lowest awareness of gender equality in occupational fields. The children’s self-esteem and subjective well-being were significantly correlated as well. Gender equality awareness, self-esteem, and subjective well-being among boys and girls reflected different influential factors. Androgynous traits (neither feminine nor masculine) were conducive to the development of gender equality awareness and self-esteem among the children. Therefore, schools and teachers need to provide gender equality and mental health education according to the specific psychological characteristics of each boy and girl.

Cognitive-Based Interventions Break Gender Stereotypes in Kindergarten Children

Despite the growing recognition of gender equality worldwide, plausible strategies that reduce young children's gender stereotypes remain limited. Cognitive-based interventions have been widely used in school settings and have been suggested to play important roles in children's gender stereotyping and in their processing of counter-stereotypic information. We aimed to determine whether exposure to counter-stereotypical information could break gender stereotypes in kindergarten children. Fifty-four children (61-79 months old) from two public kindergarten classes in northern Taiwan participated in this study. One of the two classes was randomly selected as the experimental group (n = 28), and the other was the control group (n = 26). The experimental group consisted of a gender equality curriculum including script relationship training for two months, while the control group continued their regular curriculum. The picture classification task (PCT) was measured before and after the intervention to assess gender stereotypes. Before interventions, 87.50% of the children chose a gender stereotypic relationship, while 12.50% chose script/other relationships in PCT. After the interventions, the gender stereotypic relationship dropped to 73.22% in the experimental group. Children in the control group were more likely to maintain their gender stereotypic relationship choices in PCTs. Our findings suggest that cognitive-based interventions, such as a gender equality curriculum, have the potential to break gender stereotypes in kindergarten children.

Gender roles are related to cortisol habituation to repeated social evaluative stressors in adults: secondary analyses from a randomized controlled trial

Masculine and feminine gender roles influence stressor appraisals and coping in everyday life, but their effect on stress response systems like the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis is unclear. Accordingly, the present study tested the association between gender roles and cortisol responses to repeated stress as part of secondary analyses of data from a randomized controlled trial examining the effects of stress management interventions on cortisol habituation. Participants (N_final = 86; 72% female) completed a baseline survey assessing gender role endorsement using the Bem Sex Role Inventory, from which 4 groups were derived: masculine (n = 20), feminine (n = 20), androgynous (high masculinity, high femininity; n = 22), and undifferentiated (low masculinity, low femininity; n = 24). Following the stress management intervention (mindfulness-based stress reduction or cognitive-behavioral skills training) or waitlist period control, participants completed the Trier Social Stress Test on two laboratory visits (48 h apart). Salivary cortisol was assessed 0, 25, 35, and 60 min post-stressor during both laboratory visits. Androgynous and undifferentiated individuals both exhibited a significant decrease in total cortisol from visit 1 to visit 2 (i.e. habituation) whereas feminine and masculine individuals did not. Undifferentiated individuals exhibited greater habituation than feminine and masculine individuals, whereas androgynous individuals only exhibited greater habituation than the feminine group. Controlling for study condition assignment did not alter these results. Results imply that gender roles may be implicated in stress-related disease because of their association with HPA axis functioning during episodes of acute stress.

The Attitude of Work-Oriented and Family-Oriented Chinese Women Toward the Evaluations Based on the Traditional Positive Stereotype That Women Are Virtuous

People typically reject being negatively stereotyped but overlook the ways in which they are positively stereotyped. The current study focused on the attitude of Chinese women toward being evaluated based on the traditional positive stereotype that women are virtuous; family/work centrality as a boundary condition of these attitudes; and three perceptions that may mediate the link between this type of evaluation and attitudes of women. In experiment 1, female college students were identified as work-oriented or family-oriented based on their responses to a questionnaire regarding their focus on these two domains. They then read a vignette in which a man evaluated a female target under random assignment to one of three conditions, namely: group positive stereotype evaluation, individual positive stereotype evaluation, or unstereotypical positive evaluation. The participants rated how much they liked the female target, as an indicator of their attitude toward evaluations based on the stereotype that women are virtuous. In experiment 2, female college students were classified as work- oriented or family-oriented, and then read a vignette in which a man (the target) evaluated them. They were randomly assigned to the group positive stereotype evaluation, individual positive stereotype evaluation, or unstereotypical positive evaluation. Participants rated how much they liked the male target, as an indicator of their attitude toward evaluations based on the positive stereotype that women are virtuous. Across both studies, ANOVA showed that work-oriented women liked evaluations based on both group and individual stereotypes less than the family-oriented women. Regression-based analyses showed evidence of a mediation process in which work-oriented women viewed the virtuous positive stereotype as implying a prescriptive social demand that women should engage in family roles, resulting in a negative reaction to this type of evaluation.

Factors Related to Gender Violence and Sex Education in Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: For school medical services and the staff responsible for sex education for adolescents, it is important to understand the factors that may influence gender violence. The aim of this study is to determine whether the presence of sexist attitudes, double standards and/or romantic myths contributes to the risk of gender violence. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at five secondary schools in the province of Malaga (Spain). In total, 879 adolescents aged 12–18 years were included, studying years 1–4 of compulsory secondary education. Their attitudes were measured on the following scales: Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI), Double Standard Scale (DSS) and Romantic Love Myths Scale (EMA). Results: Significant differences were observed among the age/year groups for the mean scores obtained on each of the above scales (DSS, p < 0.01; EMA, p < 0.01; ASI, p < 0.01). By gender, the boys recorded higher scores for ASI and lower ones for DSS (p < 0.01). The Spearman’s rho value revealed significant relationships between the presence of sexual double standards and that of romantic myths and ambivalent attitudes (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Adolescents commonly express romantic love myths, sexist attitudes and sexual double standards. These three factors, which are significantly correlated, influence the presence of violence in dating relationships.

Girls in STEM: Is It a Female Role-Model Thing?

Women are underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers, and this poses new challenges at the dawn of the era of digital transformation. The goal of the present study is to demonstrate how female role models influence girls' preferences for STEM studies. This paper evaluates a role-model intervention in which female volunteers working in STEM go into schools to talk to girls about their careers. The study was conducted with 304 girls, from 12 years old (sixth primary grade) to 16 years old (fourth secondary grade), both before and after the role-model sessions. An adaptation of the expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation is used to test the extent to which this role-model intervention improves girls' beliefs that they can be successful in STEM fields and increases their likelihood of choosing a STEM career. The results of multigroup structural equation modeling analysis show that on average, the role-model intervention has a positive and significant effect on mathematics enjoyment, importance attached to math, expectations of success in math, and girls' aspirations in STEM, and a negative effect on gender stereotypes. Additionally, the female role-model sessions significantly increase the positive impact of expectations of success on STEM choices. Finally, the moderation role of the counterstereotypical content of the role-model sessions is tested. The results show that the higher the counterstereotypical character of the sessions, the higher the relationship between expectations of success in math and the choice of STEM. These results are discussed regarding their implications for long-term STEM engagement.

Parent and Teacher Depictions of Gender Gaps in Secondary Student Appraisals of Their Academic Competences

The present study examines a group of secondary teachers' and parents' appraisals of gender gaps in secondary students' self-assessment of competence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM domains. Eight focus groups with 39 parents and 34 secondary teachers were conducted for this purpose. In light of the observed gender gaps in students' performance and self-perception of ability in the different subject areas, the participants were particularly surprised by girls' underestimation of their abilities in STEM subjects, compared with boys' tendency to overestimate their abilities in STEM. Most participants agreed on the need for measures to combat these inaccuracies and discussed possible causes. Some participants associated these gender disparities in students' self-assessment of ability with gender gaps in their choices of subject areas and occupations. The role played by school, teachers, families, and other socialization agents in reinforcing gender stereotypes about academic competence was also discussed in most of the focus groups. Interestingly, some teachers questioned why gender attainments obtained in schools do not serve as an example when it comes to neutralizing the sexism and gender inequality messages offered by the media and society. Likewise, technology teachers proposed changes in school practices to close gender gaps in certain areas (i.e., boys' appropriation of the playground, or the reproduction of gender roles in the classroom). Few parents acknowledged their unconscious reproduction of gender roles and stereotypes in raising their children.