The Influence of Gender-Based Relationship Efficacy on Attitudes Toward School

The goal was to assess the role of children’s social cognitions about peers in attitudes toward school. Because of gender segregation, we differentiated children’s cognitions about same-gender and other-gender peers. We examined the influence of gender-based relationship efficacy for both own-gender and other-gender peers (GBRE-Own and GBRE-Other) on school-related outcomes while controlling for other peer relationship variables. Students (N = 206, fourth grade) reported on relationship efficacy, peer relationships, and school outcomes in Year 1 and again 1 year later. Results indicated that efficacy beliefs were positively related to school outcomes. Moreover, a developmental pattern emerged: GBRE-Own consistently predicted school outcomes in fourth grade but not fifth, and GBRE-Other consistently predicted school outcomes in fifth grade but not fourth. As interest in other-gender relationships becomes more prominent in late childhood, efficacy about other-gender interactions appears to exert influence in mixed-gender contexts (e.g., classrooms). Implications are discussed for improving peer interactions and school attitudes.