The Gender Role Attitude Scale (GRAS) as an alternative for the crisis in measurement of attitudes towards gender roles in Latin America: A study in Chilean university students

Abstract

Hemos experimentado cambios socioculturales que han favorecido el desarrollo de actitudes de roles de género (GRA) más igualitarias. Sin embargo, actualmente la revolución en los roles de género está incompleta y la falta de equidad en las estructuras sociales limita las experiencias individuales en igualdad. Ante esta realidad, la comunidad científica exige un sistema modernizado para medir GRA. Presentamos adaptación, evidencia de validez factorial y convergente, precisión, efecto techo y piso, normas de interpretación por sexo, y análisis del GRA más fácil y difícil de modificar, para la Escala de Actitudes de Rol de Género (EARG) en muestra de 1013 universitarios chilenos. La EARG tiene una estructura bifactorial que evalúa actitudes estereotipadas y trascendentes en contextos familiares, sociales y laborales. Presenta validez convergente con una medida de doble estándar sexual y es más confiable en puntajes bajos de trascendencia y puntajes altos de actitudes estereotipadas. El factor trascendente tuvo un efecto techo, y las actitudes estereotipadas un efecto suelo. Los roles familiares de género son los más fáciles de cambiar, y los relacionados con el trabajo los más difíciles. Se discute la necesidad de un cambio estructural para reactivar la revolución de los roles de género en Chile. We have experienced sociocultural changes, which have favoured the development of egalitarian gender role attitudes (GRA). Nevertheless, the revolution in gender roles is incomplete, and the lack of equity in social structures limits the individual experiences in equality. In the face of this reality, the scientific community is demanding a modernised system for measuring GRA. We present adaptation, evidence of factorial and convergent validity, accuracy, ceiling and floor effect, norms of interpretation by sex, and analyses of the GRA easiest or most difficult to modify, for the Gender Role Attitudes Scale (GRAS) in a sample of 1013 Chilean university students. The GRAS has a two-factor structure that allows the evaluation of stereotyped and transcendent attitudes of gender roles in family, social, and work contexts. The scale presents convergent validity with a sexual double standard measure and is more reliable in the low scores of transcendence and the high scores of stereotyped attitudes. Transcendent factor had a ceiling effect, and stereotyped attitudes had a floor effect. Family gender roles are the easiest to change, and work-related roles the most difficult. The authors discuss the need for a structural change to reactivate the revolution of gender roles in Chile.

Religiosity, abortion stigma and the mediating effect of gender attitudes. A study in the Chilean population (Religiosidad, estigma del aborto, y el efecto mediador de las actitudes de género. Un estudio en población chilena)

“…This scale (García-Cueto et al, 2015) showed evidence of validity in Chilean university students (Pérez et al, 2021). It evaluates stereotypical and transcendent attitudes towards gender roles through 17 items on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1, ‘strongly disagree’, to 5, ‘strongly agree’.…”

“…Esta escala (García-Cueto et al, 2015) mostró evidencias de validez en universitarios chilenos (Pérez et al, 2021). Evalúa actitudes estereotipadas y transcendentes hacia los roles de género mediante 17 ítems tipo Likert de cinco puntos desde 1, ‘muy en desacuerdo’, a 5, ‘muy de acuerdo’.…”

Propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Doble Estándar Sexual (DSS) en universitarios chilenos: sexo, actitudes de género y religiosidad

“…As a measurement of attitudes to gender roles, we selected the Gender Role Attitudes Scale (GRAS; GarcíaCueto et al, 2015) because it is a recently developed instrument with evidence of reliability and validity for its use on Chilean university students ( Pérez et al, 2021 ), considering male and female gender roles in the family, social and occupational spheres. This makes the GRAS a good candidate to measure attitudes on the current Chilean sociocultural scene.…”

“…On the other hand, although the phenomenon of the SDS may be present in both genders, a lower incidence among women could be expected because they are the ones who mainly suffer the negative side of this phenomenon. In addition, women accept to a lesser extent the social hierarchies that subordinate them ( Lee et al, 2011 ), while men show greater agreement with the traditional gender roles ( Pérez et al, 2021 ). The systematic review by Petersen and Hyde (2010) , and the review by Fugère et al (2008) , which included studies with samples from all the continents, support this premise.…”

“…Although this information seems to reflect a transition in Chilean society from sexual behavior in accordance with the traditional SDS towards a more subtle SDS ( Crawford & Popp, 2003 ; Gómez-Berrocal et al, 2019 ), it also confirms differences between sexes in the matter of sexuality. In addition, Chilean university students present a greater agreement with traditional gender attitudes ( Pérez et al, 2021 ).…”