Parental gender inequality and their children’s educational attainment, quality of life and mental health: An analysis from the Pelotas 1993 birth cohort in Brazil

TL;DR

This study shows that more equal parental relationships are linked to better education, quality of life, and mental health in children.

Contribution

The study introduces a Couple’s Gender Inequality Index (CGII) to assess how parental gender equality affects child development.

Findings

Higher CGII scores correlate with better educational attainment in both genders.

Greater parental equality is linked to improved quality of life in 18-year-olds.

Higher CGII is associated with lower depression risk in adolescents.

Abstract

Gender, as a sociostructural factor, may shape child development through social norms that influence family dynamics. We examined whether more egalitarian parental relationships are associated with better developmental outcomes. Using data from the Pelotas 1993 birth cohort (Brazil), we adapted a population-level gender inequality metric to characterise parental relationships. The Couple’s Gender Inequality Index (CGII) was derived from maternal health, parental education and income. Associations between CGII and educational attainment, quality of life, and depression at age 18 were assessed using linear regression models adjusted for family income, gestational age, birth weight, parental cohabitation and race. The sample comprised 2,852 participants (1,446 women). Higher CGII scores, indicating greater equality within couples, were associated with significantly higher educational attainment in both females and males. Higher quality of life at age 18 was observed in the second and fourth CGII quartiles compared with the most unequal. Greater equality was associated with lower risk of depression at age 18, although this association was not robust to adjustment. Among girls, a similar pattern was observed for emotional symptoms at age 15. Overall, greater couple-level gender inequality was associated with poorer developmental outcomes in offspring.

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