open access

https://doi.org/10.14943/b.edu.147.35

https://hdl.handle.net/2115/98595

Gender Differences in the Association Between Academic Career Aspirations and Depression Among High School Students from Low-Income Families

日本語

gender differences

2025-12-24

Faculty of Education, Hokkaido University

Bulletin of Faculty of Education, Hokkaido University

147

35-46

12

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between high school students’ subjective perceptions of poverty, their academic career aspirations, and depressive symptoms, with particular attention to gender differences. The analysis is based on data collected from 2,018 second-year high school students who participated in the 2021 Sapporo Children's Living Conditions Survey and the Second Hokkaido Children's Living Conditions Survey, conducted between October and November 2021. The study explores how adolescents’ perceptions of poverty and their academic career aspirations are associated with depressive symptoms. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that both the perceptions of poverty and academic career aspirations were significantly associated with levels of depression among high school students. Moreover, these associations differed by gender, indicating the existence of gender-specific patterns in how poverty and future planning relate to mental health outcomes. Additionally, the results suggested that choosing one’s academic or career path based on financial constraints may pose a qualitative risk for depression among both male and female students. These findings imply that social and structural gender issues may underlie the associations between poverty, educational aspirations, and mental health. The study concludes by emphasizing the necessity of gender-sensitive support strategies and the development of public policies that address the intersection of economic hardship, educational opportunity, and adolescent mental health.

紀要論文

Version of Record

1882-1669

AA12219452