A Content Analysis of Gender Portrayals in Turkish Children’s Picturebooks

Peker A., Aybars A. I.

Early Childhood Education Journal, vol.53, no.2, pp.517-528, 2025 (SSCI, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 53 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s10643-023-01598-1
  • Journal Name: Early Childhood Education Journal
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, IBZ Online, Child Development & Adolescent Studies, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts, Psycinfo
  • Page Numbers: pp.517-528
  • Keywords: Children’s picturebooks, Gender, Gender roles, Gender stereotype
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The study aims to explore the portrayal of gender and the representation of gender roles in picturebooks written for children aged 3–6 in Turkey, with a view to assessing whether these gender portrayals include gender stereotypes that may affect children from early ages and onwards. It examines 45 children’s picturebooks published in the last 10 years in Turkey and written for children aged 3–6. The texts and illustrations of the selected books are examined thematically in terms of parental activities, other activities of adults, activities of children, and play types and toys using content analysis. The findings demonstrate that, despite significant international trends to tackle gender stereotypes and encourage a gender-neutral representation in children’s picturebooks to enhance gender-conscious child development, the male and female characters in the books are still stereotypically represented in Turkey, parallel to the larger approach to gender equality, perpetuating the traditional understanding of gender roles.