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

Everything changes but nothing changes: gender stereotypes in the Italian population

PURPOSE

Gender stereotypes refer to consensual or cultural shared beliefs about the attributes of men and women, influencing society behaviors, interpersonal relationships, education, and workplace. The literature has shown the existence of gender stereotypes on career choices, internalization of roles, and school and social experiences and demonstrates the impact of demographic factors on stereotypes. However, all the studies conducted in Italy available in scientific literature analyzed small sample sizes within specific schools of university settings, with a limited age range.

METHODS

To assess the current state of gender stereotypes in Italy, we conducted an online survey from October 2022 to January 2023 on the general population residing in Italy. The questionnaire comprised sociodemographic factors and questions about gender stereotypes, investigating six fields: games, jobs, personality traits, home and family activities, sports, and moral judgments.

RESULTS

The study involved 1854 participants, mostly women (70.1%) with an undergraduate or postgraduate degree (57.5%). The statistical and descriptive analyses revealed that gender stereotypes influenced respondents' beliefs, with statistically significant effects observed in most questions when stratifying by age, gender, and degree. Principal component analysis was performed to assess latent variables in different fields, revealing significant main stereotypes in each category. No statistically significant differences between men and women were found for the fields home and family activities, games, and moral judgments, confirming that stereotypes affect both men and women in the same way.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show the persistence of gender stereotypes in any fields investigated, although our cohort is predominantly composed of high educational level women living in the North of Italy. This demonstrates that the long-standing gender stereotypes are prevalent, pernicious, and, unfortunately, internalized at times even by successful women pushbacking and sabotaging them unconsciously.

The Relationship Between Stressful Life Events and Depressive Symptoms in College Students: mediation by Parenting Style and Gender's Moderating Effect

Aim

Stressful life events have a significant impact on the mental health of college students. Depression, as a prevalent psychological issue, has garnered attention in the field of college student mental health and is closely linked to it. Additionally, parenting style is identified as an important factor influencing the development of college students' mental health. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between these three factors.

Methods

A total of 8079 first-year college students from two medical universities in Shandong Province, China were surveyed. The Beck Depression Inventory was utilized to evaluate depressive symptoms among the college students, while the Adolescent Self-rating Life Events Checklist and the Egna Minnen Beträfande Uppfostran were employed to gather data. Subsequently, the SPSS macro program PROCESS was utilized to analyze both the mediating and moderating effects. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 26.0.

Results

The study found a detection rate of 6.3% for depressive symptoms among college students. The correlation analysis of this study showed that the stressful life events of college students were significantly positively correlated with depressive symptoms (r=0.261, p< 0.01). Each dimension of parenting style was associated with depressive symptoms in different degrees and directions. At the same time, parenting styles of all sizes play a partial mediating role between stressful life events and depressive symptoms in college students, gender plays a crucial regulatory role in this mediation.

Conclusion

Stressful life events experienced by college students have a significant impact on their mental health. Early intervention through positive parenting styles from parents may prove to be beneficial in promoting the development of good mental health among college students.

Effets identitaires de la socialisation différentielle de genre sur les aspirations au premier enfant et au mariage des jeunes adolescent(e)s à Ouagadougou: une étude mixte

Studies show that gender socialisation shapes differently the gendered identity, self-esteem, and sexual behaviours of girls and boys. While pre-adolescence is viewed as a pivotal period for gendered socialisation, few studies in francophone Africa investigate the role of gender identity effects on aspirations and sexual and reproductive behaviours at this life stage. This article explores how the internalisation of gender stereotypes during socialisation is linked to the aspirations of girls and boys for certain life events, such as having their first child or getting married. A survey was conducted in 10 primary schools in Ouagadougou, among pupils aged between 9 and 16 years, as well as seven focus group discussions with their parents. The findings indicate a gender-based variation in the effects of adherence to unequal gender norms among young adolescents. As a result, girls tend to have earlier aspirations towards marriage and later aspirations for childbearing, while boys show earlier aspirations for childbearing and later ones for marriage. These effects may expose both girls and boys to risks of poor sexual and reproductive health. Interventions promoting egalitarian gender norms could boost girls' self-esteem as well as mutual respect among young adolescents of both genders, aiming to improve their sexual and reproductive health during adolescence and into adulthood.

The developmental process of suicidal ideation among adolescents: social and psychological impact from a nation-wide survey

Suicidal ideation is a multifactorial phenomenon that is increasingly prevalent among adolescents, especially following the impact of Covid 19 pandemic on their mental health. Its analysis necessitates an interdisciplinary approach that simultaneously considers sociological and psychological perspectives, especially looking at the role of interpersonal relationships and structural inequalities. The present study, based on a face-to-face survey conducted with a representative sample of 4288 adolescents, aims to identify the factors that most differentiate individuals with and without suicidal ideation, proposing a descriptive model of development process of this phenomenon with reference to the Italian context. We analysed variables related to socio-demographic status, relational status, social interactions, and psychological well-being using multiple correspondence analysis and logistic regression models. The results provide evidence for the existence of a direct association between negative psychological status and suicidal ideation but clarify that the psychological aspects are associated with sociodemographic characteristics and have their origins in the social sphere.