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On the Gender Gap of Soft-Skills: the Spanish Case

Author

Listed:
  • María Ladrón de Guevara Rodríguez

    (Universidad de Málaga
    Universidad de Málaga)

  • Oscar David Marcenaro-Gutierrez

    (Universidad de Málaga)

  • Luis Alejandro Lopez-Agudo

    (Universidad de Málaga)

Abstract

In recent years, many studies have referred to the interdependence between cognitive (hard-skills) and students’ academic performance. However, despite their relevance, soft-skills have not received the same treatment and have not been analysed as extensively, particularly from a gender perspective. Therefore, and bearing in mind that analysing from a gender perspective is essential to reduce occupational segregation and soft-skills can enhance young people’s personal and academic development, throughout this paper we have analysed the gender gap in soft-skills with a sample of 15–16 years old students from the Spanish region of Andalusia. To do so, we have used a recent innovation of the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition technique. Our results show not only that the gender gap in soft-skills is correlated with gender stereotypes, but also that grade retention or being an immigrant show a greater degree of association with boys’ soft-skills than girls’, while mothers’ educational level is more correlated with the soft-skills of girls.

Suggested Citation

  • María Ladrón de Guevara Rodríguez & Oscar David Marcenaro-Gutierrez & Luis Alejandro Lopez-Agudo, 2023. "On the Gender Gap of Soft-Skills: the Spanish Case," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(1), pages 167-197, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:16:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s12187-022-09966-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-022-09966-w
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Soft-skills; Gender gap; Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition; Secondary education;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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