CLINICIANS' SEX ROLE ASCRIPTIONS: RATINGS OF SELF AND MENTALLY HEALTHY OTHERS

The most influential study assessing the sex role stereotypes held by psychotherapists was conducted by Braverman, Braverman, Clarkson, Rosenkrantz, and Vogel (1970). The current study is a modified replication of the Braverman et al. (1970) work using a more sophistocated sex role assessment instrument: the short form of the Bern Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). As in the Braverman et al. (1970) research, clinicians' sex role trait ascriptions to the mentally healthy person, man, and woman were assessed. In addition, this study explored clinicians' own sex role orientations and how they related to the ratings of mentally healthy others. Sex role ascriptions were found to be a function of rater gender, BSRI scale (masculine or feminine), and the rated target (self; mentally healthy person, man, or woman). The mentally healthy person and the mentally healthy woman were both rated as androgynous. The mentally healthy man was rated as masculine. Clinicians' own sex role orientation was largely congruent with their conception of what constituted the mentally healthy person, man, and woman. Level of obtained academic degree was the single strongest demographic predictor of BSRI ratings. Finally, the possible risk of employing mentally healthy person ratings as a standard for mental health was discussed.

Author dc:creator

• Feuer, Robert A.

Statement dc:rights

• This item is protected by copyright and unless otherwise specified the copyright of this thesis/dissertation is held by the author.

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1808/37760

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kuscholarworks.ku.edu:1808/37760