Boys Keep Swinging? Sex-Composition of the School and Pressure for Gender-Conformity

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  • Author(s): Van Houtte, Mieke
  • Language:
    English
  • Source:
    Gender and Education. 2021 33(3):355-371.
  • Publication Date:
    2021
  • Document Type:
    Journal Articles
    Reports - Research
  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
    • Peer Reviewed:
      Y
    • Source:
      17
    • Education Level:
      Secondary Education
    • Subject Terms:
      Secondary School Students; Gender Issues; Sex Role; Gender Differences; Foreign Countries; Sexual Identity; Sex Stereotypes; Peer Influence; Early Adolescents; Institutional Characteristics; Student Characteristics; Self Concept; Masculinity; Femininity
    • Subject Terms:
      Belgium
    • Accession Number:
      10.1080/09540253.2020.1765995
    • ISSN:
      0954-0253
    • Abstract:
      This study assesses the effect of secondary schools' sex-composition on boys' and girls' felt pressure for gender-conformity. Whereas gender-conformity pressure affects adolescents' well-being, little large-scale research examines school features' influence. Multilevel-analyses are conducted on representative Flemish data of first grade students, 2688 boys and 2430 girls, in 57 secondary schools, gathered at the beginning of school-year 2012/13 and the end of 2013/14. When estimating the effects on gender-conformity pressure at time 2, the gender-conformity pressure at time 1 is accounted for. For girls, no effects of the school's sex-composition are found. Boys in schools with more girls display lower levels of felt pressure at the start of secondary education. The felt pressure at time 2 increases with the proportion of girls, indicating that boys forming a numerical minority at school, report more growth in gender-conformity pressure. This effect is stronger for boys holding more traditional gender-role attitudes.
    • Abstract:
      As Provided
    • Publication Date:
      2021
    • Accession Number:
      EJ1291523