A Meta-Analytic Review of Gender Difference in Self-esteem in China

Abstract

Gender difference in self-esteem has been widely studied in psychology. Previous meta-analyses, mostly based on Western samples, found males reported higher self-esteem than females. To examine if there is the same finding in China, we conducted a meta-analysis of 802 studies involving 629,772 participants. Results showed a statistically significant but very small gender difference favoring males (g = .060, p < .001). A non-linear temporal pattern was identified, with the gender difference decreasing from the 2000s to the 2010s and increasing again in the 2020s. The gap was negligible in primary school, peaked in secondary education, and declined with age. In addition, our findings emphasized that gender differences in self-esteem were shaped by multiple interacting factors.