Teacher ratings and adolescent students’ perceived social behaviours and gender-role orientations

ABSTRACT

This cross-sectional study explores relationships among teachers’ ratings of students’ social behaviours and perceived competencies and gender-role orientations. Social behaviours, self-competencies, and gender-role orientations of 295 Canadian students (118 boys, 177 girls) were assessed by teachers’ ratings and students’ self-report questionnaires. Results showed significant and consistent associations between teachers’ perceptions of students’ social behaviours and adolescents’ self-perceptions of behavioural conduct. Positive correlations were found between teachers’ ratings of prosocial behaviours and gender-feminine orientation, and between teachers’ ratings of aggression and gender-masculine orientation. Gender differences were found as teachers scored girls higher in prosocial behaviours and boys higher in relational and physical aggression. Boys perceived themselves higher in self-worth, physical appearance, and masculinity, where girls rated themselves higher in femininity and behavioural conduct. These findings highlight the reciprocal nature of students’ and teachers’ beliefs and attitudes and suggests the need for a compassionate, inclusive, and gender-sensitive school climate.

KEYWORDS:

• Social behaviours
• self-perceptions
• gender-role orientations
• teacher ratings
• adolescence

Acknowledgments

We thank the schools, children, and teachers who participated in this study. We also thank Flavia Pissoto, Maria Coccimiglio, and Valentina Sitnik for their help with data collection, coding, and data analysis.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [SQ], upon reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported in part by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada with grant no. 435-2015-0010 awarded to Bosacki and Talwar. As well, supported by a grant from Brock University Mitacs Research Training Award (RTA) to Shanel Quenneville (supervisor: Dr. Sandra Bosacki).

Notes on contributors

Shanel Quenneville

Shanel Quenneville just completed her undergraduate combined honours degree in psychology and child and youth studies at Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada ([email protected])

Victoria Talwar

Victoria Talwar is a professor and Canada Research Chair (II) in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology at McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada ([email protected])

Sandra Bosacki

Sandra Bosacki is a professor in the Department of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies in Education at Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada ([email protected])