Gender Differences in Self-Regulation and Their Implications for Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis

The academic gender gap resulting from the underperformance of males in educational settings negatively impacts individuals and society at large (Wobbekind, 2012). Since research has shown an association between self-regulation and school achievement (Robson et al., 2020; Skibbe et al., 2019; van Tetering et al., 2020), investigating this cognitive measure in the academic context is highly relevant. For this reason, a quantitative meta-analysis was conducted to examine whether school-age males possess inferior self-regulation skills compared to females. A literature search identified 22 relevant studies based on the inclusion criteria. The statistical analysis with a random-effect model showed that there are significant differences in self-regulation between males and females (SMD = -0.15; 95% CI [-0.25, -0.04], p = 0.006, 95% PI [-0.95, 0.66]). Additionally, the present study examined self-regulation before and after puberty, as research suggests that gender differences in this...Show moreThe academic gender gap resulting from the underperformance of males in educational settings negatively impacts individuals and society at large (Wobbekind, 2012). Since research has shown an association between self-regulation and school achievement (Robson et al., 2020; Skibbe et al., 2019; van Tetering et al., 2020), investigating this cognitive measure in the academic context is highly relevant. For this reason, a quantitative meta-analysis was conducted to examine whether school-age males possess inferior self-regulation skills compared to females. A literature search identified 22 relevant studies based on the inclusion criteria. The statistical analysis with a random-effect model showed that there are significant differences in self-regulation between males and females (SMD = -0.15; 95% CI [-0.25, -0.04], p = 0.006, 95% PI [-0.95, 0.66]). Additionally, the present study examined self-regulation before and after puberty, as research suggests that gender differences in this cognitive measure are the most prominent in childhood and decrease in youth (Coyne et al., 2015; Lenroot & Giedd, 2010). The analysis with age as a grouping variable included 19 publications. Results of a random-effect model analysis showed significant differences in self-regulation between the groups, with χ2 (1) = 5.56, p = 0.02. Overall, findings from the present study imply that interventions aimed at improving self-regulation in males before they finish puberty are a promising way of tackling the academic gender gap, which could lead to numerous benefits associated with better educational outcomes (Bell et al., 2022; Breton, 2013; Brunello et al., 2017; Ross & Wu, 1995).Show less

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Gender Differences in Self-Regulation and Their Implications for Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis