The relationship between gender role orientation and perceived self-competency in male and female adolescents

Relationships among gender, gender role orientation, grade, and perceived self-competency were examined in this study. Subjects were almost entirely Caucasian and included one hundred and ninety-four adolescents in the sixth through twelfth grades. The adolescents responded to the Children's Sex Role Inventory and the Self Perception Profile for Adolescents. Boys had higher perceived social and athletic competency; girls had higher perceived romantic appeal. Androgynous adolescents had the highest perceived scholastic competency, close friendship competency, and global self worth. Masculinity predicted perceived scholastic competency and close friendship competency in girls and boys and perceived global self worth in girls. Femininity predicted perceived scholastic competency in boys. There were no grade differences in perceived self-competency or in the relationship between gender, gender role orientation, and perceived self-competency.

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