Adolescent Girls and Their Family Members' Attitudes Around Gendered Power Inequity and Associations with Future Aspirations in Karnataka, India

Intergenerational differences in inequitable gender attitudes may influence developmental outcomes, including education. In rural Karnataka, India, we examined the extent of intergenerational (adolescent girls [AGs] vs. older generation family members) dis/agreement to attitudes around gendered power inequities, including gender roles and violence against women (VAW). Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression examined associations between intergenerational dis/agreement to attitude statements and AGs' future educational and career aspirations. Of 2,457 AGs, 90.9% had a matched family member (55% mothers). While traditional gender roles were promoted intergenerationally, more AGs supported VAW than family members. In adjusted models, discordant promotion of traditional gender roles and concordant disapproval of VAW were associated with greater aspirations. Results highlight the need for family-level programming promoting positive modeling of gender-equitable attitudes.

Automated summary

Intergenerational differences in inequitable gender attitudes may have an impact on educational outcomes. A study in rural Karnataka, India, found that while traditional gender roles were promoted across generations, more adolescent girls supported violence against women compared to their family members. However, inconsistent promotion of traditional gender roles and unanimous disapproval of violence against women were associated with higher aspirations. These findings highlight the importance of family-level programs to promote positive modeling of gender-equitable attitudes.