Gender Gaps in Leisure Association Participation among Children of Immigrants: Cultural Legacies, Parental Socialization, and Peer Contexts

This study examines gender gaps in participation in leisure associations, such as sports, music, anddrama clubs, among children of immigrants—a critical yet understudied aspect of immigrantintegration. Using V-Dem data on gender traditionalism in origin countries and survey data from fourWestern European societies (N ≈ 18,000), the authors analyze how cultural legacies, parentalsocialization, and peer contexts shape gendered participation in leisure associations. Results showthat girls from more gender-traditional countries participate markedly less in leisure associations thanthose from gender-egalitarian backgrounds, underscoring persistent cultural legacy influences. At themicro-level, parental socialization of traditional gender values significantly shapes girls’ participationbut only partially mediates cultural legacy influences from origin countries. Additionally, peers alsoinfluence gendered behaviors, often amplifying or mitigating gender gaps in leisure associationparticipation, highlighting the dual cultural pressures of parental and peer environments. Thesefindings contribute to ongoing debates on immigrant integration while offering novel insights into theintersections of gender, culture, and civic engagement.