Sex Differences in School Achievement Among Spanish-American and Anglo-American Children

1934 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 168
Author(s):  
Floyd F. Caldwell ◽  
Mary Davis Mowry
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
Spanish American ◽  
Anglo American ◽  
American Children

Sex differences in school achievement: what are the roles of personality and achievement motivation?

2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricarda Steinmayr ◽  
Birgit Spinath
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Goal Orientation ◽  
Achievement Motivation ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Motivational Constructs ◽  
School Attainment ◽  
Work Avoidance ◽  
Math Grades ◽  
Gender Specific

It is consistently reported that despite equal cognitive ability, girls outperform boys in school. In several methodological steps, the present study examined sex differences in school achievement and some of the most important personality and motivational constructs in a sample of 204 females and 138 adolescent males (mean age M = 16.94 years; SD = 0.71). Grades in Math and German as well as grade point average (GPA) served as achievement criteria. Intelligence, the Big Five of personality and motivational variables (achievement motives, goal orientation, task values and ability self‐concepts) served as predictors. After controlling for intelligence, girls' grades were significantly better than boys'. Mean sex differences were found for most variables. There were no gender‐specific associations between predictors and grades. Agreeableness, work avoidance, ability self‐concepts and values ascribed to German mediated the association between sex and grades in German. Controlling for ability self‐concepts and values ascribed to Math enhanced the association between sex and math grades. We concluded that personality and motivation play important roles in explaining sex differences in school attainment. Results are discussed against the background of practical and methodological implications. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Temperamental influences on psychosocial adjustment: From infancy to adolescence

1998 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Sanson ◽  
Margot Prior ◽  
Frank Oberklaid ◽  
Diana Smart
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Family Functioning ◽  
Psychosocial Adjustment ◽  
High Stability ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
Behaviour Problems ◽  
Behaviour Problem ◽  
Clinical Diagnoses ◽  
Family Variables

AbstractResults are presented from a recent study within the Australian Temperament Project (ATP), in which a group of children with significant behaviour problems, and a comparison group, were selected from the sample at 11–12 years and home-visited, with assessments of clinical diagnoses, intelligence, school achievement and social competence, and a variety of family functioning indices. Approximately half the behaviour problem group received at least one diagnosis. Twice as many boys as girls were diagnosed. Rates of comorbidity were high but, generally, within—rather than between—the broadband internalising or externalising spectra. Concurrent family functioning measures discriminated between groups, but not as strongly as intrinsic child measures, and the particular family variables that best discriminated between groups showed sex differences. High stability of behaviour problems from earlier years was evident, and the behaviour problem group differed from the comparison group on measures of temperament, behaviour, and context from early childhood; both findings reinforce the need for early intervention.The implications of these and other findings from the ATP, particularly the need for early intervention, are discussed.

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