Gender‐role identity and perceived peer group acceptance among early adolescents in Belgian mixed and single‐sex schools

Abstract

Drawing on survey data, this paper explores the association between early adolescents’ gender‐role identity and sense of peer group acceptance, and how this association may vary as a function of the gender context of the school. Two indicators of gender‐role identity were included in the analysis: in one measure the items reflect features of masculine and feminine stereotypes, while the other measures assertiveness in classroom situations. Support for the context framework was provided for boys only and then solely with regard to the first indicator; that is, boys highly endorsing feminine‐typed behaviours were found to experience lower levels of acceptance from peers in single‐sex schools but not in coeducational schools. As for assertiveness, it was found that highly assertive girls as well as boys report higher levels of peer acceptance, regardless of the gender context of the school.

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank M. Van Houtte for her assistance with the data collection and analysis. Special appreciation also goes to the reviewers of this journal for their helpful comments and suggestions.