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Crying in Middle Childhood: A Report on Gender Differences.

Francine C Jellesma, Ad J J M Vingerhoets

    Sex Roles
    |September 11, 2012
    PubMed
    Summary

    Girls aged 9-13 cry more than boys, experiencing more sadness and seeking more support. Psychosocial factors like sadness and catharsis may explain these gender differences in crying.

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    Area of Science:

    • Developmental Psychology
    • Child Psychology
    • Gender Studies

    Background:

    • Gender differences in emotional expression, specifically crying, are observed in adults.
    • Limited research exists on gendered crying patterns during middle childhood.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To confirm gender differences in crying frequency and proneness in Dutch children aged 9-13.
    • To identify psychosocial factors (catharsis, support-seeking, internalizing feelings) that may explain observed gender disparities in crying.

    Main Methods:

    • Cross-sectional study involving 186 children (ages 9-13) from Dutch sample.
    • Self-report questionnaires assessed crying frequency, crying proneness, emotional/physical catharsis, seeking support, and internalizing feelings.

    Main Results:

    • Girls reported significantly higher crying frequency and proneness compared to boys.
    • Girls experienced greater emotional and physical catharsis after crying, sought more support for feelings, and reported more sadness and somatic complaints.
    • Seeking support, sadness, and somatic complaints were positively associated with crying frequency and proneness; emotional catharsis was linked to crying proneness.

    Conclusions:

    • Gender differences in crying frequency are evident in middle childhood.
    • Psychosocial factors, including sadness, somatic complaints, and emotional catharsis, play a potential mediating role in the observed gender differences in crying behaviors.

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