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Assessment of Conflicts Associated with a Traditional Masculine Gender Role in Spanish College Men and Women

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Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Gender Role Conflict Scale – Short Form (GRCS-SF; Wester et al. 2012) in a sample of men. In addition, we extend the gender conflict paradigm by evaluating two samples of women with the same instrument. In Study 1, we investigated the internal structure of the instrument in a sample of 281 Spanish undergraduate women using exploratory factor analysis, finding support to the original factor structure. In Study 2, we analyzed its psychometric properties in a college sample of 184 men and 255 women using confirmatory factor analysis, and we explored differences between the two genders through a factor invariance analysis and a comparison of group means. Sufficient equivalence was found, allowing for comparisons among men’s and women’s scores. Overall, masculine gender conflict was significantly associated with greater distress and less general subjective well-being in both men and women. Our research extends the gender role conflict paradigm to the Spanish context and enhances the study of women’s conflicts associated with the adoption of behaviors traditionally attributed to the male gender role.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biological and Health Psychology Department, Autonomous University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Rubén García-Sánchez, Carmen Almendros & Manuel Gámez-Guadix

  2. Social Psychology and Methodology Department, Autonomous University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    María Jesús Martín, Begoña Aramayona & José Manuel Martínez

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  1. Rubén García-Sánchez
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  2. Carmen Almendros
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Correspondence to Rubén García-Sánchez.

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Research Involving Human Participants

This study solicited the participation of 720 Spanish undergraduate students enrolled in Abnormal Psychology at a large public university. The invitation to participate was made by professors who were not part of the research team. Students could choose to participate in this study, or choose among other alternative equivalently attractive activities, in partial fulfillment of a course requirement. Participation was voluntary and no other reward than the course requirement was obtained through participation.

All the information that was gathered in this study was kept strictly confidential. Results were processed collectively, not individually. The information collected in this research was stored in a way that protected participants’ identity.

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Students were informed about the objectives of the study, the characteristics and requirements of their participation, and that they were free to withdraw at any time, without giving any reason, without any consequences. Prior to participating, all confirmed that they had understood and were satisfied with the information provided and agreed to take part in the study.

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García-Sánchez, R., Almendros, C., Gámez-Guadix, M. et al. Assessment of Conflicts Associated with a Traditional Masculine Gender Role in Spanish College Men and Women. Sex Roles 78, 81–93 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-017-0765-8

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