Girls who attend gender - segregated schools are equal in confidence to their male counterparts , while in mixed - sex schools a confidence gap tends to appear from the age of nine , according to research . The study , commissioned by the Australian Gender Equality Council , concluded that the confidence gap is created rather than eliminated , and was likely to result from socialisation and gender stereotyping at school and at home . Another important factor maintaining the confidence of girls in single - sex environments was likely to be the opportunity to see girls in positions of leadership , with no question that gender should be an issue .
Girls who attend gender-segregated schools are equal in confidence to their male counterparts, while in mixed-sex environments a confidence gap tends to appear from the age of nine, according to research. The study, commissioned by the Australian Gender Equality Council, concluded that the confidence gap is created rather than innate, and was likely to stem from socialisation and gender stereotyping at school and at home. Another important factor maintaining the confidence of girls in single-sex environments was likely to be the opportunity to see females in positions of leadership, with no question that gender should be an issue.