Background: Adolescence is a key life-stage when gendered behaviours and attitudes are trialled and crystallised. There is some evidence that traditional gender role attitudes (beliefs about behaviours and responsibilities appropriate for women and men) are associated with poor mental health outcomes, however few studies have examined such associations among adolescents.
Aim: To test associations between gender role attitudes and mental health outcomes among Australian adolescents.
Methods: Data was drawn from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, a nationally representative Australian study. Participants were 3059 adolescents with complete data for Waves 5-6 (years 2012-2014), aged 14-15 years. Parent-reported mental health was measured using subscales of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire(SDQ). Gender role attitudes were self-reported in Wave 6. Analyses were stratified by gender and controlled for parental education, household income, area disadvantage, ethnicity, religiousness and household type (measured in 2012). Multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted to test associations.
Results: Egalitarian gender role attitudes were associated with less conduct problems and hyperactivity, and better prosocial behaviour for both males and females, and better overall mental health for females. There were no associations between gender role attitudes and peer problems or emotional problems. Associations were typically greater for females than for males and sensitivity analysis with parent- and teacher-reported mental health supported main findings.
Conclusions: Traditional gender role attitudes are associated with some dimensions of adolescent mental health. Adolescents with egalitarian gender role attitudes have better prosocial behaviour, and lower hyperactivity and conduct problems than adolescents with traditional gender role attitudes.