A new international study has revealed that intelligent girls 'choke ' because of the pressure they put themselves under in employment leading to them ending up in lower paid jobs . The Organisation for the Economic Co-operation Development ( OECD ) report on gender equality in education has said that girls do not aim for high-paying jobs in maths and science , because they lack confidence . Young girls 'may be choking under pressure ' the report said . A new study revealed girls do not aim for high-paying jobs in maths and science , because they lack confidence . Reviewing the report The Australian reported that high-achieving girls are more likely to suffer from high levels of anxiety than high-achieving boys . 'Given girls ' keen desire to succeed in school and to please others , their fear of negative evaluations , and their lower self confidence in mathematics and science , it is hardly surprising high-achieving girls choke under often self-imposed pressure , ' the OECD report said . The OECD report said that just three per cent of Australian teenage girls contemplate a career in engineer or computing , compared to 17 per cent of boys . Intelligent girls 'choke ' because of the pressure they put themselves under , says the report . The report is based on the OECD Program for International Student Assessment , which tests 400,000 students from more than 65 education systems worldwide . 'Women are predominantly employed in fields where they have fewer opportunities to express their potential , and develop and maintain their skills - at the price of lower wages and slower career paths , ' the report said . High-achieving girls are more likely to suffer from high levels of anxiety than high-achieving boys . The report said that girls tend to hold particularly ambitious , but unrealistic , expectations . 'They may thus be particularly disappointed when they fail to achieve their career goals , ' the report said .
OECD report highlights girls lack of confidence in employment field . The study also found that the gender pay gap is still too high and women are more likely to be employed part-time than men.