Contemporary Issues in the Study of Adolescent Gender Development

Adolescence is a critical period for the formation of gender identity and for experimentation with gender norms, beliefs, and expression. With a global adolescent population projected to exceed 1.3 billion by 2024, as per the WHO, understanding the dynamics of gender in adolescents’ lives is essential for promoting their health, well-being, and success. During this period, youth often explore and consider their own gender identities and expressions, reflecting the wide range of gender diversity that now exists. The salience and importance of gender in the lives of youth, their parents, peers, and health professionals necessitate a deeper understanding of the roots and outcomes of adolescents’ gender development. This knowledge is crucial for researchers, policymakers, practitioners, educators, and parents to foster positive adjustment and development in adolescents. Despite significant advancements, gaps remain in our understanding of how gender development interacts with other developmental issues such as mental health, bullying, and academic performance.

This research topic aims to advance and share knowledge about contemporary issues and advancements related to adolescent gender development. The primary objective is to provide a platform for researchers to discuss the connections between gender development and other related developmental issues. Additionally, the research aims to inform interventions designed to promote positive youth development and social responsibility. By bringing together high-quality and novel empirical studies or theoretical papers, this research topic seeks to explore the developmental science of gender development in adolescence comprehensively.

To gather further insights into the complexities of adolescent gender development, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Diversity in adolescent gender development
- Relationships between gender development and adolescents’ mental health and well-being
- Adolescents’ cognitions and intergroup attitudes and stereotypes regarding gender
- Socialization experiences and practices that promote healthy adolescents in a gender-diverse world
- Adolescent gender differences and similarities
- Gender and adolescent peer relationships
- Neighborhood, school, or other contextual factors that promote healthy gender development
- Gender-based intervention programs for adolescents
- Sexuality and intersectionality and gender
- Gender and academics/STEM learning and interests
- Social media and adolescent gender development

Keywords: gender, adolescence, gender development, mental health, gender identity, stereotypes, adjustment

Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.