Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 267-307). Also available in print.

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The purpose of the present study was to assess whether girls with LD were at a greater risk for self-reported depressive symptomatology compared to both boys with LD and girls without LD. Differences in the pattern of responses of girls with LD and boys with LD on the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) were also evaluated. In order to identify a learning disability, the short-form of the Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children and the Wide Range Achievement Test were administered to 204 subjects. Results revealed that girls with LD demonstrated an increased risk for depressive symptomatology as compared to girls without LD. Boys, on the other hand, regardless of a learning disability, manifested a comparable rate of depressive symptomatology. It appears that having a learning disability increases girls' propensity towards depression. Finally, differences in the pattern of responses were found for girls and boys with and without LD.

The present study examined whether children and adolescents develop mental models of peer relations that reflect observed gender differences in size and in density of friendship structures. A total of 278 children and adolescents, ranging from preschool level to CEGEP, participated in the study. Participants were given a questionnaire, consisting of schematic drawings of different forms of peer interactions, to assess their ideas about how friendships are organized for children of their age. Results indicated that both female and male participants at all grade levels judged typical boys to have a greater preference for group than dyadic interactions than did typical girls. Typical girls, however, were not judged to have preference for either dyadic or group interactions. Results also indicated that both female and male participants at all grades judged that the probability of mutual friends also being friends as higher for typical boys than for typical girls. Overall, the findings from the present study demonstrated that children and adolescents of both genders possess internal working models of peer interactions, beginning in early childhood, that are gender differentiated in a way that reflects patterns of behaviour.

The main purpose of this descriptive study was to examine gender differences in French oral production, in a French immersion context. The following criteria were developed to investigate these differences: quantity in production, the use of verbs and conjugations. Eleven boys and thirteen girls from the same fourth grade class located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, participated in this study. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered through one-on-one audiotaped story retelling sessions and questionnaires. This analysis did not reveal any gender differences but instead similarities were found in relation to the types of errors they made. Limitations, such as the number of participants, or the variation across participants' inhibition, memory, and creativity may have affected the results. It is suggested that these results may be linked to a lack of opportunity to speak French in the classroom, and that the use of a story retelling activity might be one way to encourage speaking.

The current study examined the degree of role violation necessary to produce social rejection and whether penalties for gender role violations are applied equally to male and female violators. Specifically, it was hypothesized that targets described by equal numbers of male- and female-associated characteristics would be most liked and viewed as better adjusted compared to either stereotype congruent gender role targets and stereotype incongruent gender role targets. Presumed status and presumed sexual orientation were considered as explanations for the penalties gender-role violators incur. This effect was expected to be stronger for male targets than for female targets. Although the current results were unable to clarify why role deviance leads to social rejection, results confirmed prior findings indicating that not all role violations are met with equal derogation and that mixed gender roles can be perceived as psychologically healthy. Ratings of likeability and adjustment were not affected by either mediational variable. Finally, results suggested that male role violation is not regarded more harshly than female role violation when the role violation is based on traits. / Department of Psychological Science