Can Math-Gender Stereotypes Be Reduced? A Theory-Based Intervention Program with Adolescent Girls

Abstract

Math-gender stereotypes have been prevalent with adolescent girls and negatively affect their developmental outcome. The discrepancy between these negative stereotypes and early adolescent girls’ pronounced mathematical performance provides a good opportunity for intervention on negative math-gender stereotypes. This study designed a three-month intervention program based on Identity Threat Model to reduce math-gender stereotypes for middle school girls. Nine intervention sessions were held in classrooms and targeted at changing adolescent girls’ collective representations, situational cues and personal characteristics. Three-wave measures were collected before the intervention (pre-test), immediately after the intervention (post-test), and three months after the end of the intervention (follow-up test). Intervention effect indicators included math-gender stereotypes, self-esteem, math scores and language-gender stereotypes. The results immediately after the intervention showed that math-gender stereotypes were significantly reduced, math scores were improved, and self-esteem and language-gender stereotypes were not significantly affected among girls in the intervention group compared with control group. Follow-up test showed no significant differences between the intervention group and the control group except that math-gender stereotypes in intervention group were still lower than control group, indicating that the intervention activities were effective to reduce adolescent girls’ math-gender stereotypes. The intervention program provided theoretical and educational implications for effective intervention on adolescent girls’ math-gender stereotypes in school or classroom settings.