Gender-specific Behavior Research Articles

Gender-specific play behavior in relation to autistic traits and behavioral difficulties at the age of seven in the SELMA study.

Childhood gender nonconformity is related to psychological distress and behavioral difficulties. Similarly, there is evidence for a link between gender nonconformity, or gender dysphoria in some studies, and autism spectrum disorder and related traits. Our knowledge on those associations mostly originates from clinical populations, which might lead to overestimation. Thus, this study aimed to assess associations between gender nonconformity and behavioral difficulties in a population-based study. In the Swedish Environmental Longitudinal, Mother and Child, Asthma and Allergy (SELMA) study, cross-sectional associations between gender-specific play behavior and behavioral outcomes and autistic traits were investigated among 718 children at 7-years of age. Play behavior was measured using the Preschool Activities Inventory; behavioral outcomes and autistic traits were measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Social Responsiveness Scale, respectively. Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed. Higher composite play behavior scores (indicating either increased masculine or decreased feminine play behavior) were associated with increased autistic trait scores in girls (β = 0.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.00, 0.26). Furthermore, higher composite scores were shown to be associated with behavioral difficulties in both girls (β = 0.11; 95% CI = 0.04, 0.18) and boys (β = 0.10; 95% CI = 0.02, 0.19). Additionally, higher feminine scores were related with increased problems in peer relationships in boys (β = 0.04; 95% CI = 0.00, 0.07). This study suggests a link between gender nonconforming play behavior and autistic traits as well as behavioral difficulties among children in a non-clinical population, which calls attention to the necessity of supporting children with gender nonconformity from early ages.

Analysis of user trends in digital health communities using big data mining.

Camoni, the largest digital health community in Israel, involves thousands of patients in the decision-making process concerning their illness and treatment. This approach reflects the recent global shift towards digital tools that combine professional information with social networking capabilities to enable problem-solving, emotional support, and knowledge sharing. Digital health communities serve as an invaluable resource for individuals seeking to learn more about their health, connect with others with shared experiences, and receive encouragement. Our research investigates user trends in digital health communities using the Camoni platform as a case study. To this end, we compile a comprehensive database of 12 years of site activity and conduct a large-scale analysis to identify and assess significant trends in user behavior. We observe several significant trends concerning different genders engagement and note a narrowing of gaps between men and women users' participation and publication volume. Furthermore, we find that younger users have become increasingly active on the platform over time. We also uncover unique gender-specific behavior patterns that we attempt to characterize and explain. Our findings suggest that the rise of digital health communities has accelerated in recent years, reflecting the public's growing preference to take a more active role in their medical care.

Exposure to Childhood Adversity and Intimate Partner Violence in a Sample of Incarcerated Women in Australia.

Women who use violence represent one of the fastest growing groups within the Australian prisoner population, including Aboriginal women who are more likely to be incarcerated than non-Aboriginal women for violent crimes. Many incarcerated women report histories of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and intimate partner violence. This exploratory study examines baseline data from a sample of 167 women in 3 Western Australia women's prisons enrolled in a gender-specific violent behavior program. It describes their exposure to intimate partner violence, head injury, and childhood adversities. Overall, 94% of women had experienced at least one childhood adversity (median 6), and 94% reported being a victim of physical violence by a current or former intimate partner. Aboriginal women were more likely than non-Aboriginal women to report that a family member was incarcerated as a child (p = .001). There was an association between an increased number of ACEs and head injury with a loss of consciousness (p = .008). Overall, these results present a harrowing picture of childhood exposure to adversity and violence in adulthood. Successful rehabilitation of women incarcerated for violent crimes should be cognizant of the histories of extreme violence endured by most of these women.

Men's Experiences With Perinatal Loss: An Integrative Review.

Introduction: Perinatal loss is a tremendous loss for many and can have consequences that affect physical and mental health. This topic has been substantially examined among women; however, men's experiences with perinatal loss have lacked attention. Many men report significant grief, self-blame, stigma, loss of self-identity, lack of recognition of their loss, marginalization, and gendered expectations that negate their grieving process. This places men at risk for complicated or disenfranchised grief. Most studies examining perinatal loss have been conducted in countries outside of the United States and outside of the discipline of nursing. As nurses are concerned about holistic care of men and women, the findings resulting from studies with women and other cultural perspectives may not be generalizable to men in the United States. Purpose: The purpose of this integrative review was to examine the current state of science regarding men's experiences with perinatal loss, what is known about this loss within the nursing discipline, to identify gaps in nursing knowledge, and to expose areas for further research. Method: Online databases including CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus were used to perform the initial search. The search terms included "men," "perinatal loss," "miscarriage," "stillbirth," and "grief." Results: Themes were identified through a review of the literature that included that men experienced a loss of the role of fatherhood and identity. Additionally, men reported expectations about socially and gender-specific behavior that influenced their expressions of grief and their coping process. Finally, the lack of recognition of their loss as fathers in perinatal loss resulted in the marginalization and the use of avoidance and distraction to cope with the loss, as well as risks to the health of the partnered relationship.

A Study of Factors Affecting Online Shopping Behaviour of Middle-Class Women in Metropolitan Cities

Efforts have been made to identify the variables affecting the decision-making process of middle-class women in online shopping, focusing on grocery, clothing and apparels, household items, furniture, kitchen appliances and electronic goods. Gender-specific behaviours are influenced by upbringing, social, cultural, psychological, educational factors, among others. Cultural, social, personal, psychological, and psychographic factors are key determinants of consumer behaviour

"I can do bad all by myself": Indirect effect of social support beliefs on the Strong Black Woman schema and depressive symptoms.

The Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema, a multidimensional construct that promotes self-reliance, self-silencing, self-sacrificial caregiving, and resilience, has been linked to depressive symptoms in Black women. Yet, additional research is needed to examine the mechanisms through which this association exists. The present study examines the indirect effect of social support beliefs on the relationship between the SBW schema and depressive symptoms. Data from a sample of 194 Black women (Mage = 37.53, SD = 19.88) were collected using an online survey assessing internalization of the SBW schema, depressive symptoms, and social support-seeking beliefs. A primary dimension of the SBW schema, the expectation to manifest strength, was significantly positively correlated with depressive symptoms and negatively correlated with social support seeking. Depressive symptoms were also significantly negatively correlated with social support beliefs. In addition, an indirect effect of support-seeking beliefs was observed between the expectation to manifest strength and depressive symptoms (ab = .12, 95% CI [.02, .24]). Findings from this study suggest that Black women experience impairing depressive symptoms, which can be explained by race and gender-specific stress-coping ideologies and behaviors, specifically, the SBW schema. Furthermore, the SBW schema is a factor that may contribute to adverse mental health outcomes among Black women vis-à-vis decreased support-seeking beliefs. We discuss the implications of these findings and how these results can help facilitate culturally competent care for Black women. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Peer Influence, Family Influence, Academic Difficulties and Gender Differences as Agents of Career Indecisiveness of Senior High School Students in Ghana

This research aimed at finding out how peer influence, family influence, and academic difficulties affect the career decision-making process among senior high school students in Ghana. Employing a descriptive survey design, the study involved 450 students selected through multi-stage sampling. Data collection utilized a Likert-type scale questionnaire. Analysis and presentation of findings relied on Descriptive Statistics. Results indicated that peer influence, family influence, and academic difficulties collectively played significant roles in causing career indecisiveness among senior high school students in Ghana. Females were affected more by the agents of career indecisiveness. The study recommends that school counsellors remain attentive to peer influence, family influence, and academic difficulties, offering appropriate guidance and counselling to aid informed and effective career decision-making among senior high school students. Gender specific characteristics and behaviour must be critically explored in catering for the diverse career counselling needs of gender groups.

Exploring Gender-Based Differences in Banking Transactions: A Data-Driven Analysis Using Multiple Linear Models and Permutation Feature Importance

This study examines gender-based differences in financial behavior, focusing on various bank transactions and demographic factors using a large dataset from Kaggle, consisting of over one million entries. By applying multiple linear regression models and permutation feature importance rankings, the study explores how different variables, such as age, geographic location, and transactional timing, influence banking patterns across genders. The findings reveal that age is a significant predictor of transaction behavior for males, while it is less impactful for females. Geographic location, particularly “Location_West” and “Location_Other,” plays a crucial role for males but has minimal influence on females. For females, transactional timing, indicated by “TransactionHour,” shows more importance in predicting banking behaviors. In contrast, gender itself does not significantly affect transaction outcomes when controlling for other variables. Overall, the study highlights the importance of demographic and contextual factors, such as age and geography, over inherent genderbased differences. These insights provide valuable guidance for financial institutions aiming to tailor their services more effectively to meet the needs of diverse customer segments. The results emphasize the need for data-driven approaches to better understand gender-specific financial behavior and improve service offerings.

Awareness of people using municipal swimming pools about the prevention, symptoms, and treatment of athlete's foot and onychomycosis before COVID-19.

Superficial mycosis is one of the most common diseases worldwide; however, its epidemiology is changing over time. To present the awareness of people using swimming pools about athlete's foot and onychomycosis. A total of 690 participants were subjected to an extensive survey administered via Google Documents. The questionnaire consisted of 30 online polling items and aimed to evaluate respondents' knowledge pertaining to fungal infections, encompassing aspects such as prevention strategies, disease trajectory, and therapeutic modalities. The survey sample specifically encompassed students and sports enthusiasts associated with 33 Internet groups, and data collection transpired during the period spanning 12 January to 15 March, 2018, predating the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the study, 85.2% of participants regularly inspected their feet, with 4.8% seeking podiatric services. While 75.2% demonstrated hygienic behaviour by changing towels after each pool visit, 41.4% acknowledged sharing nail tools. Notably, 75.7% preferred professional assistance for symptoms, with 24.3% opting for home remedies. Gender disparities were evident, with women showing significantly better hygiene practices and pool usage than men (p < 0.001). Women also exhibited a stronger tendency to disinfect grooming tools and prioritise sterility during beautician services (p < 0.001). These findings emphasise the importance of gender-specific health behaviour analysis in promoting preventive measures. The study highlights onychomycosis as a significant societal concern. Pre-COVID-19, awareness among municipal swimming pool users regarding prevention, symptoms, and treatment of athlete's foot and onychomycosis was insufficient.

Gender-Specific Application Behavior, Matching, and the Residual Gender Earnings Gap

Gender-Specific Application Behavior, Matching, and the Residual Gender Earnings Gap

Spend and Repeat! Young Adult’s Experiences with Buy Now Pay Later Services

ABSTRACT Our study investigates the usage of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) of young Australian adults (aged 18-25, n=308). We found females used BNPL instead of saving. Females exhibited a higher BNPL debt, but were less concerned about that debt compared with males. Self-reported financial literacy training was lower for females compared with males. Negative financial behaviours of both females and males, e.g. binge spending, were inconsistent with their long-term financial goals. We recommend that the relevance and effectiveness of financial literacy training for young adults addresses gender-specific BNPL behaviours and includes education on the psychology of overspending.

Recreating diasporic identity and community: Examination of transgender and nonbinary latinx healing from family rejection.

The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of healing from family rejection among transgender and nonbinary Latinx individuals. Participants were asked how they navigated family dynamics related to gender identity and specific behaviors or resources that promoted their healing from experiences of family rejection. Data from 12 interviews with Latinx nonbinary and transgender adults were analyzed through a critical-constructivist grounded theory method resulting in a hierarchy composed of three clusters related to the core category (healing from family rejection leads to the recreation of diasporic identity and community as one learns to live authentically in their ethnic/racial gendered expression). These clusters included recreation of the family system, community-based cultural healing, and autonomy in trans identity and psychological well-being. Relevant contributions to research and implications for psychologists are reviewed: (a) Latinx diasporic identity formation is facilitated through the reconstruction of familial relationships and cultural healing, and (b) chosen family and supportive community networks may adopt the responsibility of ethnic-racial socialization after proximity to family of origin is lost. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Prenatal exposure to phthalates and gender-specific play behavior at seven years of age in the SELMA study

BackgroundA growing body of evidence shows that prenatal exposure to phthalates affects child development. Since many phthalates have been shown to alter endocrine signaling, they may influence reproductive development, neurodevelopment, and child behavior. Indeed, a few studies reported associations between prenatal phthalate exposure and gender-specific play behavior. However, evidence for this relationship is limited, and previous findings are based on single phthalates, while human exposure entails mixtures of chemicals. ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the associations between prenatal exposure to single phthalates, as well as a phthalate mixture, and gender-specific play behavior. MethodsA total of 715 mother–child pairs from the Swedish Environmental Longitudinal, Mother and Child, Asthma and Allergy (SELMA) study were included. In the median week 10 of pregnancy, phthalate metabolites were measured in urine. Gender-specific play behavior was measured with Preschool Activities Inventory at the age of seven years. Linear and weighted quantile sum regressions were used; data was stratified by sex. Models were adjusted for child and maternal age, maternal education, parental attitudes toward play behavior, and urinary creatinine concentration. ResultsFor boys, single compound analyses revealed negative associations of prenatal exposure to di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) concentrations with masculine (β = −1.44; 95% CI = −2.72, −0.16) and composite (β = −1.43; 95% CI = −2.72, −0.13) scores. Suggestive associations were also observed with a mixture approach identifying DINP as the main contributor of the association of decreased masculine play. Among girls, higher urinary concentrations of 2,4-methyl-7-oxyooctyl-oxycarbonyl-cyclohexane carboxylic acid (MOiNCH) was associated with decreased feminine (β = −1.59; 95% CI = −2.62, −0.57) and masculine scores (β = −1.22; 95% CI = −2.14, −0.29), whereas the mixture analyses did not yield conclusive results for girls. ConclusionOur findings suggest associations of prenatal exposure to DINP with decreased masculine play behavior in boys while the results for girls were not fully conclusive.

GENDER-BASED ARITHMETICAL ANALYSIS OF RELATIVE BEHAVIOR ON LIFE SATISFACTION, SELF-ESTEEM, AND MENTAL HEALTH

This article presents a gender-based arithmetical analysis of relative behavior and its impact on life satisfaction, self-esteem, and mental health. The study aims to explore gender differences in behavior patterns and their associations with psychological well-being. The research employs quantitative methods to analyze data collected from a diverse sample. The results provide insights into gender-specific behaviors that influence life satisfaction, self-esteem, and mental health outcomes. Understanding these gender-based differences can inform interventions and strategies to enhance psychological well-being for both men and women.

Intrusive parenting in early childhood: A review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis examines similarities and differences in intrusive parenting between mothers and fathers and relations between intrusive parenting and early childhood development. The authors integrated 55 studies and differentiated cognitive skills and socio-emotional problems as developmental outcomes. The present study employs three-level meta-analyses to reliably estimate effect sizes and examine a range of moderators. It finds a moderate effect size of similarities in intrusive parenting within a family (r=0.256, confidence interval [CI]=[0.180, 0.329]). No significant differences were observed in intrusiveness level between mothers and fathers (g=0.035, CI=[-0.034, 0.103]). Intrusive parenting had a significant positive association with children's socio-emotional problems (rmother =0.098, CImother =[0.051, 0.145]; rfather =0.094, CI father =[0.032, 0.154]) but was not related to cognitive skills. Moderator analyses suggest that East Asian mothers exhibit higher intrusiveness levels than fathers, whereas Western parents display no significant differences. Overall, these results reveal more similarities than differences in intrusive parenting and that culture likely plays a role in shaping gender-specific parenting behaviors.

Father-daughter and mother-son relationships: Parental bonding behaviours and socially prescribed perfectionism in young adults

Theory and research suggest that parental bonding behaviours (i.e., overprotection and care) are important predictors of socially prescribed perfectionism. However, despite evidence suggesting that maternal and paternal behaviours may differ in their effects on children's development and their mental health outcomes, no studies thus far have investigated whether maternal and paternal bonding behaviours differentially influence socially prescribed perfectionism in sons and daughters. Therefore, we investigated the extent to which maternal and paternal overprotection and care predicted socially prescribed perfectionism in young men and women. A total of 456 undergraduate students (228 men and 228 women) completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale and Parental Bonding Instrument for both parents. After controlling for self-oriented and other-oriented perfectionism, results from hierarchical regression analyses indicated that women's levels of socially prescribed perfectionism were positively predicted by perceived paternal overprotection and negatively predicted by paternal care, but not perceived maternal overprotection or care. In contrast, men's levels of socially prescribed perfectionism were positively predicted by perceived maternal overprotection and negatively predicted by maternal care, but not perceived paternal overprotection or care. This study contributes to the existing perfectionism literature by highlighting possible gender-specific parental behaviours in the development of perfectionism.

Digital Health Literacy during COVID-19: gender differences from a Florentine University experience

Abstract Gender appears to be a strong predictor of online health information-seeking behaviour (OHISB). Gender differences in OHISB have been studied in different countries with different results, but no studies investigated gender-specific behaviour among University students during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought with it a consequential infodemic. We sought to investigate any gender differences in OHISB in the period between the first and the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A questionnaire promoted by the COVID-HL network was administered to 2996 students of all the courses at the University of Florence. It included existing validated scales adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic and newly developed scales. Gender differences were tested using the χ2 test or the Mann-Whitney U test, where appropriate. Male students reported a higher score in DHL than females (p &amp;lt; 0.001). However, female students reported using more often different sources for online information seeking (p &amp;lt; 0.05, except for YouTube), searching more corona-related topics (p &amp;lt; 0.05, except for economic and social consequences) and considering ‘‘very important'’ each item in the ‘‘Importance of internet information search'’ section (p &amp;lt; 0.05). Furthermore, female students are more likely to be ‘‘often dissatisfied'’ or ‘‘partly satisfied'’ with information about COVID-19 (p &amp;lt; 0.001) and to search more often for information for themselves and other people. Our study confirmed that gender could affect the way students search for health information on the Internet. Since students, in particular females, have been affected by stress and anxiety during the pandemic, these findings could help institutions to promote gender-specific education programmes to improve students’ DHL and their mental health outcomes, as well as to provide health information that fit specific gender needs. Key messages • Gender influences how university students search on the Internet for health information. • This should guide institutions to better address educational programmes to improve their Digital Health Literacy.

The Connectivity Bridge – A Clinical Understanding: Postcolonial Therapy with Latinx Women Living in the United States

The negative effects brought by intergenerational trauma affecting Latinx women that transmits across generations has not received the appropriate attention that recognizes the cumulative emotional and psychological wounding brought by the experience of migration associated with the legacies of colonialism, political violence, and related stressors. Intergenerational trauma can be recognized and ameliorated with the application of postcolonial psychotherapy modalities that endorse the relevance of cultural representation, identity, and location, with specific reference to migration, gender, race, and ethnicity that focus on promoting liberation and healing. This article will address the interconnections (The Connectivity Bridge) between gender specific cultural values and/or national narratives that perpetuate the colonial thinking of superiority vs inferiority, based on gender and/or ethnicity, and the creation of negative self-identifications evidenced by many Latinx women. A clinical application will briefly illustrate the existing relationship between postcolonialism, ancestry, feminism, and the migration experience that can affect Latinx women living in the United States. Four cultural expectations of gender specific behaviors with ties to colonialism endorsed by Latinxs will be discussed, namely machismo, marianismo, attitudinal familismo or the feeling of support one expects from family, and simpatia, a cultural relational script that also carries gender specific behavioral expectations. An application of a liberation/decolonization healing approach will also illustrate and challenge the assumptions that gender specific expectations of behavior are antiquated and no longer relevant to modern Latinx women with a history of migration, born or residing in the United States who continue being affected by a continuation of the traumatic effects of the previously suffered oppression in the country of origin for many Latinx women and their descendants.

The influence of gender on COVID-19 infections and mortality in Germany: Insights from age- and gender-specific modeling of contact rates, infections, and deaths in the early phase of the pandemic.

Recent research points towards age- and gender-specific transmission of COVID-19 infections and their outcomes. The effect of gender, however, has been overlooked in past modelling approaches of COVID-19 infections. The aim of our study is to explore how gender-specific contact behavior affects gender-specific COVID-19 infections and deaths. We consider a compartment model to establish short-term forecasts of the COVID-19 epidemic over a time period of 75 days. Compartments are subdivided into different age groups and genders, and estimated contact patterns, based on previous studies, are incorporated to account for age- and gender-specific social behaviour. The model is fitted to real data and used for assessing the effect of hypothetical contact scenarios all starting at a daily level of 10 new infections per million population. On day 75 after the end of the lockdown, infection rates are highest among the young and working-age, but they also have increased among the old. Sex ratios reveal higher infection risks among women than men at working ages; the opposite holds true at old age. Death rates in all age groups are twice as high for men as for women. Small changes in contact rates at working and young ages have a considerable effect on infections and mortality at old age, with elderly men being always at higher risk of infection and mortality. Our results underline the high importance of the non-pharmaceutical mitigation measures (NPMM) in low-infection phases of the pandemic to prevent that an increase in contact rates leads to higher mortality among the elderly, even if easing measures take place among the young. At young and middle ages, women’s contribution to increasing infections is higher due to their higher number of contacts. Gender differences in contact rates may be one pathway that contributes to the spread of the disease and results in gender-specific infection rates and their mortality outcome. To further explore possible pathways, more data on contact behavior and COVID-19 transmission is needed, which includes gender- and socio-demographic information.

Gender stereotypes in early childhood a case study from Croatia

The early years are the most important years of a child's life for learning and development. Furthermore, this is also the crucial period when children learn the gendered norms and expectations of their community and society. This research aims to determine how children in Croatian kindergartens experience gender differences and stereotypes. The research was based on the qualitative research paradigm. It conducted a case study of 20 preschool children (56 years old) in one Croatian kindergarten. With the help of a semi-structured interview, the childrens views of gender differences were analysed. Participants also confirmed their own opinions through artistic expressions which are non-verbal self-evaluations. Findings suggest that children can express their gender very clearly. It can also be noticed that children will often choose games that are stereotypically characteristic of a certain gender. Children observe their parents and adopt their gender-specific behaviours. Preschool teachers, in partnership with parents, should work to reduce gender differences to maximize children's well-being and build a brighter future for the whole generation.