Gender differences in relationships between the
variables
The multi-group SEM demonstrated a good fit for children of different
genders, indicating its applicability across gender groups. We
identified significant differences in the path coefficients between TCR,
SR and SE for different genders. This provides clear evidence of the
critical moderating role of gender in the relationships between TCR, SR,
and SE. Specifically, closeness TCR had a less pronounced predictive
effect on SR in boys, while conflict TCR had a less noticeable
predictive effect on SE in girls. These gender differences enrich the
understanding of gender role socialization (Maccoby, 1998) which
reflects distinct strategies and emotional responses adopted by boys and
girls when dealing with teachers (Spiltet al., 2010). Boys may rely more
on other factors to develop SR, such as peer support (Rudasill, 2011) or
focusing on activities (Walker & Graham, 2021), while girls may
prioritize intimacy in TCR (e.g., closeness) to fulfill their
social-emotional needs (Ewing & Taylor, 2009). Researchers often assume
that the influence of TCR on SR and SE applies universally to all
children (Sankalaiteet al., 2021). However, this finding adds depth to
the literature regarding the influence of TCR on SR and SE, and it
supports the idea that gender differences exist within these
relationship patterns, encouraging researchers to consider the role of
gender in the impact of TCR on SR and SE when developing differentiated
support strategies to support children’s development.