Association between gender role and family factors among primary school students in Xiamen / 中国学校卫生

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To analyze the association between masculine and feminine traits, gender role in students and family factors, and to provide a scientific basis for promoting the healthy development of children and adolescents gender role.@*Methods@#Cluster random sampling method was used to selected 823 students from 2 schools of Xiamen in May, 2018, participants were asked to report individual masculine and feminine traits through the Child s Sex Role Inventory, and then gender role was divided into four types (masculine, feminine, androgynous, undifferentiated). Non parametric tests, generalized linear model, and Logistic regression model were used to explore the association between masculine and feminine traits, gender role and family factors.@*Results@#Compared with the boys from the nuclear family, the masculine traits were lower in boys of other families by 0.282( 95% CI = -0.452 --0.110), and the feminine traits were also lower by 0.192 (95% CI =-0.369--0.014). Compared with boys of middle socioeconomic status (SES), the masculine traits of boys from low SES decreased by 0.157 (95% CI =-0.286--0.029), and the feminine traits decreased by 0.140 (95% CI =-0.274--0.005). The proportion of androgynous in boys from other families was significantly lower than boys from the nuclear family ( OR =0.45, 95% CI =0.21-0.94), with the proportion of undifferentiated significantly higher than nuclear family 2.33 (95% CI =1.22-4.44). The proportion of androgynous in boys from low SES was significantly lower than boys from middle SES ( OR =0.59, 95% CI =0.35-0.99), with the proportion of undifferentiated significantly higher than middle SES 1.62 (95% CI =1.00-2.65). Among girls, the differences in masculine and feminine traits and gender role of different family factors were not statistically significant ( P >0.05).@*Conclusion@#The masculine and feminine traits and gender role in students are associated with family structures and socioeconomic status, especially in boys. Therefore, the family environment is an important factor affecting children s gender role, and the healthy development of children s gender role needs parents attention and correct guidance.