Influence of Parental Education and Family Type on Gender Role Attitude of Rural Adolescents

Description

Page: 79-83

Damandeep Kaur, Asha Chawla Thakral, and Deepika Vig (Department of Human Development & Family Studies, PAU Ludhiana, Punjab)

The study analyzed the influence of parental education and family type on the gender role attitudes of rural adolescents. Data were collected from 420 adolescents (210 boys & 210 girls) studying in classes 11 and 12 at Government Senior Secondary Schools in the Ludhiana district of Punjab. A self-structured socio-personal information sheet was used to collect data on the socio-personal characteristics of adolescents. The modified Gender Role Attitude Scale was used to measure levels of gender role attitudes among adolescents. The study revealed that more fathers were educated up to the middle school level, whereas mothers were educated up to the matriculation level. Parental education was observed to significantly influence gender role attitudes, with adolescents whose parents had higher levels of education demonstrating more progressive attitudes. The findings indicated that adolescents from nuclear families exhibited more egalitarian gender role attitudes as compared to those from joint families. The study highlighted the crucial role of family structure and parental education in shaping adolescents’ perspectives on gender roles, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to promote gender equality in rural settings. These results provide valuable insights for policymakers and educators aiming to foster gender-neutral attitudes among rural youth.