{"id":201952,"date":"2025-03-13T09:56:11","date_gmt":"2025-03-13T13:56:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?p=201952"},"modified":"2025-03-13T09:56:15","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T13:56:15","slug":"the-gender-gap-in-teen-experiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/social-trends\/2025\/03\/13\/the-gender-gap-in-teen-experiences\/","title":{"rendered":"The Gender Gap in Teen Experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"

Teen girls and boys in the U.S. face different pressures and have different experiences at school but want the same things out of life<\/h2>\n\n\n
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(Willie B. Thomas\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
How we did this<\/summary>\n

Pew Research Center conducted this study to better understand teens\u2019 views on their school experiences, friendships and future plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Center conducted an online survey of 1,391 U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 from Sept. 18 to Oct. 10, 2024, through Ipsos. Ipsos recruited the teens via their parents, who were part of its KnowledgePanel<\/a>. The KnowledgePanel is a probability-based web panel recruited primarily through national, random sampling of residential addresses. The survey was weighted to be representative of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 who live with their parents by age, gender, race and ethnicity, household income, and other categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Questions in this report that focus on students\u2019 experiences in their school were not asked of the 91 students who said they are homeschooled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the questions used for this report<\/a>, along with responses, and the survey methodology<\/a>\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This research was reviewed and approved by an external institutional review board (IRB), Advarra, an independent committee of experts specializing in helping to protect the rights of research participants.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Terminology<\/summary>\n

References to White and Black teens include those who identify as only one race and are not Hispanic. Hispanic teens are of any race. The views and experiences of Asian teens are not analyzed separately in this report due to sample limitations. Asian teens\u2019 responses \u2013 and responses of teens from other racial and ethnic groups \u2013 are incorporated into the general figures throughout the report but are not analyzed separately due to sample limitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All references to party affiliation include those who lean toward that party. Republicans include those who identify as Republicans and those who say they lean toward the Republican Party. Democrats include those who identify as Democrats and those who say they lean toward the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

American teens face a host of challenges these days<\/a> \u2013 both inside and outside the classroom. A new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 finds that, while there is some common ground, many of the problems and pressure points teens are dealing with differ significantly for boys and girls. In addition, many teens see imbalances in how boys and girls are experiencing school and how they\u2019re performing academically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anxiety and depression tops the list of problems teens say their peers at school are dealing with, <\/strong>of the issues we asked about. Three-in-ten teens say it\u2019s extremely or very common among their fellow students. And on balance, teens say anxiety and depression is more common among girls at their school than among boys. At the same time, majorities of teen boys and girls alike say girls have it easier when it comes to having friends they can turn to for emotional support.[1. This question and others that asked teens about experiences at school were only asked of those who are not homeschooled.] <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chart<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Academics are the biggest source of pressure for teens today.<\/strong> Roughly seven-in-ten (68%) say they personally feel a great deal or fair amount of pressure to get good grades. Girls and boys are about equally likely to say this (71% vs. 65%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girls are significantly more likely than boys<\/strong> to say they face at least a fair amount of pressure to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n