Examining Boyhood Masculinity Within an Irish Context: An Assessment of the Reliability and Structural Validity of the Meanings of Adolescent Masculinity Scale and the Adolescent Masculinity Ideology in Relationships Scale

Abstract

The Meanings of Adolescent Masculinity Scale (MAMS) and the Adolescent Masculinity Ideology in Relationships Scale (AMIRS) were designed by American researchers to assess masculinity in adolescent boys. Given that masculinities differ cross-culturally, though, these scales may not be viable for use with non-American populations. In the current study, 221 Irish adolescents completed the MAMS and the AMIRS. Using confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs), the MAMS’s and the AMIRS’s factor structures were tested. Results indicated poor goodness-of-fit in both cases. Attempts to improve the models were unsuccessful. Accordingly, neither the MAMS nor the AMIRS appear to be structurally valid within an Irish context. We recommend that researchers consider cultural variations when designing, validating, and utilizing indicators of masculinity.