Attitudes Toward Gender Roles Among Adolescents in Singapore

<jats:p> Adolescents (246, ages 12 through 15 years) attending four Singaporean secondary schools from three categories (nonselective, moderately selective, and highly selective) completed the Attitudes Toward Women Scale for Adolescents (AWSA), rated the importance of 10 characteristics of the ideal woman and man, and drew the ideal person in an activity. Less traditional attitudes toward women's roles were found among girls than among boys, and among students attending highly selective schools compared to those at tending a nonselective school. Ratings of the importance of qualities of the ideal person also varied by school category and by gender. Differences by school category remained significant after covarying out indicators of socioeconomic status and primary language spoken at home. The school setting may provide a context in which gender ideologies and values of adolescents develop. </jats:p>