Social Class, Gender, and Attitudes toward Education for Parenthood of High School and College Students

Abstract

Attitudes toward education for parenthood were measured with a 30-item scale administered to 278 high school students and 515 college students. It was hypothesized that social class and gender are related to these attitudes. While the high school sample yielded scores significantly higher for middle-class students and females, the college sample yielded no such differences. The data suggest that, among high school students, the over-all goals of education for parenthood programs may be less acceptable for members of the working class and males. These results are discussed with regard to implications for the development and implementation of such programs.