Child employment and female gender-role stereotypes in the Republic of Ireland

Recent research in the UK and the US indicates that a large proportion of secondary school students have a part-time job. The present research examines the nature and extent of students' part-time employment in the Republic of Ireland, a previously neglected population. In addition this research investigates the suggestion that one of the possible psychological consequences of students' part-time employment may be the endorsement of female gender-role stereotypes, which provide the foundation for sexual divisions and discrimination in the adult work force. The findings indicate that 45% of students were working at the time of the study and 71% had worked at some time. The study found girls were more likely to be engaged in part-time employment than boys. Male students earned significantly more per week than female students. In spite of these differences, the results of the present study did not indicate that working children differentially endorsed female gender-role stereotypes.