THE CHINESE GENDER-ROLE STRESS SCALES - FACTOR STRUCTURE AND PREDICTIVE-VALIDITY

The present study aimed at examining the factor structure and predicti ve validity of the translated Masculine Gender Role Stress (MGRS) and Feminine Gender Role Stress (FGRS) scales in samples of Chinese colleg e students and professionals (N = 482). Consistent with previous resea rch, our results supported the theoretical assumption that stressors a ssociated with gender role behaviors were sex-specific, and Chinese me n generally scored higher on the MGRS factors but lower on the FGRS fa ctors than Chinese women. Compared to professionals, students had high er scores on both Gender Role Stress (GRS) scales. The MGRS factors pr edicted somatic complaint and anxiety, whereas the FGRS factors predic ted social dysfunction. Results of confirmatory factor analyses reject ed a five-factor structure for the two Chinese GRS scales. Based on ex ploratory factor analyses, a more parsimonious three-factor solution w as identified for each GRS scale. The revised three-factor GRS scales compared favorably with the original five-factor GRS scales in interna l consistency, interfactor correlations, and prediction of psychologic al distress. The major discrepancy between the original and revised fa ctor structure was related to the prediction of depressogenic symptoms . In sum, our results suggested that the two GRS constructs were usefu l in the Chinese context, and the revised three-factor structure provi ded a viable alternative to the original five-factor structure.