de Looze Margreet E, Cosma Alina, Elgar Frank J, Schrijvers Karen, Inchley Jo, Walsh Sophie D, Stevens Gonneke W J M
Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Department of Sociology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2025 May;66(5):737-751. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.14081. Epub 2024 Dec 7.
Internalising problems have increased considerably among adolescents in the last decades, particularly among girls, resulting in widening gender gaps. This study examined whether the gender gap in psychological symptoms increased more in more gender-equal countries in the period 2002-2022, and if so, to what extent this could be explained by changes over time in the experience of stressors (i.e. schoolwork pressure, body dissatisfaction, low classmate support) among boys and girls in these countries.
National data on gender inequality (UNDP Gender Inequality Index) were combined with aggregated individual-level data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study (2002-2022) across 43 countries (N = 1,268,220). Absolute and relative gender gaps in psychological symptoms were regressed on survey cycle, GII and their interaction. Next, interactions of survey cycle and either schoolwork pressure, body dissatisfaction or classmate support were added to the model.
Increases in the absolute and relative gender gap in psychological symptoms between 2002 and 2022 were stronger in more gender-equal countries, mainly due to larger increases in psychological symptoms among girls in these countries. Also, less favourable time trends for schoolwork pressure and classmate support were found in more gender-equal countries for boys and especially girls. The larger increase in schoolwork pressure among girls in more gender-equal countries partly explained the increased absolute gender gap in psychological symptoms in these countries.
While national-level gender equality was positively associated with boys' and girls' mental health in the early 2000s, this association has become negative for girls in more recent years. The benefits of gender equality for girls' mental health may have become overshadowed by the increased experience of stressors, especially schoolwork pressure. Far from advocating that gender equality is a negative situation, these findings suggest that much work remains to achieve full gender equality, where men and women really share the burdens and stressors in everyday life.
在过去几十年中，青少年内化问题显著增加，尤其是女孩，导致性别差距不断扩大。本研究探讨了在2002年至2022年期间，性别平等程度较高的国家中，心理症状方面的性别差距是否增加得更多，如果是，在多大程度上可以用这些国家男孩和女孩所经历的压力源（即学业压力、身体不满、同学支持度低）随时间的变化来解释。
将关于性别不平等的国家数据（联合国开发计划署性别不平等指数）与来自43个国家（N = 1,268,220）的学龄儿童健康行为（HBSC）研究（2002 - 2022）的汇总个体层面数据相结合。心理症状方面的绝对和相对性别差距以调查周期、性别不平等指数及其交互作用为自变量进行回归分析。接下来，将调查周期与学业压力、身体不满或同学支持度的交互作用添加到模型中。
在2002年至2022年期间，性别平等程度较高的国家中，心理症状方面的绝对和相对性别差距增加更为明显，主要是因为这些国家女孩的心理症状增加幅度更大。此外，在性别平等程度较高的国家中，男孩尤其是女孩在学业压力和同学支持度方面呈现出更不利的时间趋势。性别平等程度较高的国家中女孩学业压力的更大增加，部分解释了这些国家心理症状方面绝对性别差距的增加。
虽然在21世纪初，国家层面的性别平等与男孩和女孩的心理健康呈正相关，但近年来这种关联对女孩来说已变为负相关。性别平等对女孩心理健康的益处可能已被压力源的增加所掩盖，尤其是学业压力。这些发现远非主张性别平等是一种负面情况，而是表明要实现真正意义上男女在日常生活中分担负担和压力源的完全性别平等，仍有许多工作要做。
