Date of Award

Summer 8-1-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Applied Clinical and Educational Studies

First Advisor

Christine MacDonald

Second Advisor

Carrie Ball

Third Advisor

Veanne Anderson

Abstract

This study examines gender role conflict (GRC) in women within the context of feminine norms, with a focus on developing a scale designed to measure GRC derived from feminine ideology that may contribute to gender related stress. The primary research questions address the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Gender Role Conflict Scale for Women (GRCS-W). Additional research questions examine the relationship between feminine gender role conflict and psychological well-being, and whether any racial differences exist in self-reported GRC. Participants include 132 women aged 18–70 from diverse educational backgrounds. Findings revealed a three-component solution for the GRCS-W. The internal consistency reliability among components ranged from 0.73 to 0.86, which indicated good reliability. There was also a significant positive correlation between the GRCS-W and the GRCS. Findings indicated a significant positive correlation between the GRCS-W and anxiety and depression, and a small, non-significant relationship between the total GRCS-W score and self-esteem. However, there was a significant relationship among the Leadership, Marriage, and Social Expectations subscale of the GRCS-W and self-esteem. The differences in GRC between White women and women of color were significant within the context of both feminine and masculine norms. White women reported higher levels of GRC within both contexts. Overall, findings align with the theoretical assumption that women do experience GRC about feminine gender roles.

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