Sex Role Development of Preschoolers from Two-Parent and One-Parent Families

The sex role development of preschool children in families in which the parents were divorced or separated was examined. The understanding of gender identity and sex role stereotypes, as well as toy choices during play, were assessed. Compared to children from two-parent families, children from single-parent families (a) exhibited more knowledge of stereotyped conceptions about sex roles, particularly about the masculine role, and (b) tended to be less sex-typed in their use of toys. However, children from single and two-parent families did not differ in their knowledge of androgynous conceptions about sex roles, and attainment of the concept of gender identity. Although boys from two-parent families tended to use more masculine toys during play than did their counterparts from single-parent homes, the boys from one-parent homes played with feminine toys relatively infrequently.