More Alike Than Different? A Comparative Study of Self-Esteem, Body Image, And Attitudes Towards Women in Single-Sex and Co-Educational Institutions

Keywords: educational context, self-esteem, body image, attitudes toward women, single-sex vs. co-educational institutions

Abstract: Educational contexts have a profound impact on the psychosocial development of individuals, shaping their perceptions and attitudes towards themselves and their surroundings. The present study aimed to explore differences in self-esteem, body image, and attitudes towards women among female students attending single-sex and co-educational institutions. The study included 149 undergraduate female participants aged between 18 and 24 years enrolled in educational institutions within the Delhi-NCR region. An ex-post facto research design was adopted, and independent samples t-tests were used to test differences across the three variables. The results revealed significant differences in attitudes towards women (t = 2.09, p = 0.04), with female students in single-sex institutions demonstrating more liberal attitudes compared to their counterparts in co-educational settings. No statistically significant differences were found on the dimensions of self-esteem (t = 0.52, p = 0.60) and body image (t = 0.02, p = 0.98). Future research may employ mixed-methods approaches and longitudinal studies to investigate these constructs, taking into account cultural and regional variations.

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