PARENTAL ATTACHMENT AND GENDER-ROLE IDENTITY

The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) and the Bem Sex-Rol e Inventory were given to 218 primarily middle class college students of whom 90% were Caucasian. A 2 x 4 x 2 univariate factorial analysis of variance was used to examine the association of attachment level wi th gender gender-role identify, and the within subjects factor of atta chment figure. Feminine and androgynous individuals reported significa ntly higher levels of parental attachment than those classified as mas culine and undifferentiated There were also similar multivariate diffe rences among the gender-role categories on the IPPA subscales of Commu nication Trust and Alienation. Across all participants, attachment to mother was higher than to father Although there were no overall gender differences in parental attachment, females reported higher peer atta chment.