The Relationship Between Gender and Student Outcomes in a Freshman Orientation Course

The Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle Inventory is used to examine gender differences in first-year students' development of purpose, mature relationships and academic autonomy. In addition, the influence of gender on the mentoring relationship between first-year students and their freshman seminar instructors is examined. Results indicate significant differences between male and female students' patterns of psychosocial development during the first year of college. Results also indicate that students' psychosocial development may be influenced by the effects of gender on the mentoring relationship. In particular, the male-male mentoring dyad may result in significantly less development on the mature relationships task. Female-female mentoring dyads, on the other hand, do not appear to have a significant influence on female students' development of autonomy or purpose.