Socialization of Gender Roles Attitude: A Study on Adolescents and their Parents of Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

Parenting is an effective socialization institute and parents are critical in
shaping their children's belief on gender roles. In the present study an
attempt has been made to analyze the gender difference in parenting
practices and its impact on the attitude of socializing the gender roles among
children. Applying the approach of positivist, this study is quantitative and
cross-sectional surveys were conducted. A sample of parents N=500 and
their children N= 500 were taken from a stratified random sampling in
multi-stage technique among the families residing in Lahore, the most
populous city and district of Punjab, Pakistan. Gender Roles Attitude Scale
(GRAS), with the author's prior authorization and a self-created Gender
Socialization Parenting Scale (GSPS) were used to collect data. Data was
analyzed using the statistical procedures of ANOVA, MANOVA and
frequencies/percentages. The results showed that the girls were more
attitudinal about egalitarian gender roles than girls. Parenting practice
‘role model’ was also found to influence the socialization of attitude
traditional gender roles among the children. A comprehensive strategy for
gender sensitive parenting in cooperation with social organizations such as
civil society, teachers, religious scholars, media, parents and children is
suggested.