The Feminine Gender Role Stress Scale: Development, Factor Analysis, and Preliminary Validation

The purpose of the present study was to develop a measure of feminine gender role stress appraisal (FGRS), the cognitive tendency to appraise threats and challenges to femininity as stressful. Stressors particularly salient for women were identified. Through factor analysis these stressors were categorized as situations involving emotional detachment, evaluation of physical attractiveness, potential victimization, assertive coping, and evaluations of nurturance. The FGRS appraisal style should create additional stress in the lives of women to the extent they are faced with these types of stressors. Thus, it was predicted that women high on FGRS would be more vulnerable to stress related disorders that disproportionately afflict women. Supporting this hypothesis, women with high FGRS scores reported more depression and, to a lesser extent, anxiety. Additionally, the psychometric properties of the FGRS scale were investigated. Women scored higher on FGRS than men and scores among women showed good two week testretest reliability. The tendency to appraise situations on the FGRS scale as stressful was moderately associated with the tendency to perceive masculine threats and challenges and daily hassles as stressful as well. Discriminant validity was demonstrated between FGRS appraisal and the expression of hostility and self-perceived femininity.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Department dc:contributor.department

Psychology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1990

Author dc:creator

• Gillespie, Betty Lynn

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Eisler, Richard M.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Foti, Roseanne J.
• Clum, George A. Jr.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-04182009-041227

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/31759