This study explored the beliefs of early childhood educators about a child's current behavior and potential adult adjustment based on a description of the child's gender and play interests. There were 451 early childhood educators from a US sample who, after reading a brief vignette describing a child's play and behavior, responded to questions related to the child's current and future behavior. Respondents also provided demographic information as well as ratings of their gender role beliefs. Results indicated that (a) educators believe strongly masculine or feminine play in early childhood predicts similar displays of masculinity or femininity in adulthood, (b) educator ratings of externalizing problem behaviors were significantly higher in the masculine play vignettes, irrespective of the child's gender, (c) ratings of internalizing problem behaviors were higher in the feminine play vignettes, also independent of child's gender, and (d) there were few differences in ratings between gender role conforming and gender role nonconforming children. However, the gender role nonconforming boy was rated as more likely to contemplate suicide as an adult compared to the gender role nonconforming girl and the gender role conforming boy and girl. Educators' beliefs about gender-related constructs and recommendations for future practice and research were discussed.

中文翻译：

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幼儿教育工作者对与性别和游戏相关的儿童行为和成人结果的看法

本研究基于对儿童性别和游戏兴趣的描述，探讨了幼儿教育工作者对儿童当前行为和潜在成人适应的看法。来自美国样本的 451 名幼儿教育工作者在阅读了描述儿童游戏和行为的简短小插图后，回答了与儿童当前和未来行为相关的问题。受访者还提供了人口统计信息以及对其性别角色信念的评级。结果表明，（a）教育工作者相信在幼儿时期强烈的男性化或女性化游戏预示着成年期男性气质或女性气质的相似表现，（b）教育工作者对男性化游戏小插曲中外化问题行为的评分显着更高，无论儿童的性别如何，(c) 在女性游戏小插曲中内化问题行为的评分更高，而且与儿童的性别无关，并且 (d) 性别角色顺从儿童和性别角色不顺从儿童之间的评分差异很小。然而，与性别角色不一致的女孩和性别角色一致的男孩和女孩相比，性别角色不一致的男孩在成年后更有可能考虑自杀。讨论了教育工作者对与性别相关的结构的看法以及对未来实践和研究的建议。与性别角色不顺从的女孩和性别角色相符的男孩和女孩相比，性别角色不顺从的男孩被评为成年后更有可能考虑自杀。讨论了教育工作者对与性别相关的结构的看法以及对未来实践和研究的建议。与性别角色不顺从的女孩和性别角色相符的男孩和女孩相比，性别角色不顺从的男孩被评为成年后更有可能考虑自杀。讨论了教育工作者对与性别相关的结构的看法以及对未来实践和研究的建议。