How does gender relate to social skills? Exploring differences in social skills mindsets, academics, and behaviors among high-school freshmen students

Boys struggle academically and behaviorally more than girls and are more likely to have difficulty with social skills. It seems likely that boys and girls do not perceive social skills in the same light. Past research has not investigated this or its relationship to academic and behavioral performance. Using data from a cohort of 9th-grade students (n = 323) in one high school in central Illinois, this study involves interaction analyses of student mindsets about their social skills and gender. Findings indicated that females who perceive social skills as more important had higher grade point averages (GPAs), higher attendance rates, and fewer disciplinary problems than their male counterparts. Conversely, females who perceive social skills as of lesser importance have lower GPAs, poorer attendance, and more disciplinary referrals than their male counterparts. Findings highlight pertinent gender differences in the relation between social skills mindsets and outcomes among high-school freshmen students.