Gender reality regarding mathematic outcomes of students aged 9 to 15 years in Taiwan

• Latent SEM models were used to compare data from a total of 3157 Taiwan adolescents aged 9 to 15.
• Gender exhibited distinct and salient personality characteristics that were stable with development.
• Gender differences in mathematics were stronger as students aged.
• Gender had small-moderate effects on math performance/intention, all were indirectly mediated.
• Gender began showing direct effects on math self-efficacy between ages 9 and 12.

This study uses a comprehensive modeling framework to explore gender similarities and differences in mathematic outcomes of students aged 9 to 15 years. Based on data from 3157 students, we established latent structural equation modeling (SEM) models incorporating 22 latent factors across 3 age levels. Gender had small to moderate effects on math achievement and math-related career intentions. All gender effects were indirectly mediated by intervening factors. Math achievement and career intentions were moderately related, but were influenced by diverse factors. Gender exhibited distinct and salient personality characteristics that were stable with development. Although girls allocated more effort to study and were perceived as receiving more support, boys excelled in many mathematical learning-related domains. Gender differences in mathematics grew stronger as students aged. Finally, gender began to directly affect math self-efficacy between ages 9 and 12 years. These ages could be a critical period for salient increases in gender difference in math.