The role of women's traditional gender beliefs in depression, intimate partner violence and stress: insights from a Spanish abbreviated multicultural measure

Abstract

Background Research on traditional gender beliefs has highlighted their psychological impact and social implications for women. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, we aimed to adapt and validate the Spanish version of the Multicultural O’Kelly Women’s Beliefs Scale. Next, we explored its sources of validity evidence in relation to intimate partner violence, stress, and depression. Based on the Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy framework, traditional gender beliefs were expected to be associated with higher levels of intimate partner violence, stress and depression. We also expected to obtain a psychometrically-sound factor structure of the Multicultural O’Kelly Women’s Beliefs Scale. Methods A sample of Spanish women (N = 322) completed the Multicultural O’Kelly Women’s Beliefs Scale, the Beck’s Depression Inventory II, the Modified Conflict Tactics Scale, and the Stress Perceived Scale. To test the psychometric properties of the Multicultural O’Kelly Women’s Beliefs Scale we implemented exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and an analysis of the area under the curve. Results Regarding the psychometric properties of the scale, statistical analysis revealed a one-factor dimensionality (Global traditionalism) and supported a reduction of items in the original instrument. The abbreviated version (eight items) obtained the best fit indices. Considering the association between traditional gender beliefs and psychological outcomes, we found that traditional gender beliefs were associated with increased severity of stress, depressive symptoms and reciprocal verbal aggression. Conclusion The Spanish adaptation of the Multicultural O’Kelly Women’s Beliefs Scale provided a very short, psychometrically robust and clinically relevant measure of traditional gender beliefs. In addition to the association between traditional gender beliefs and mental health outcomes, an important finding was the relationship between traditional gender beliefs and intimate partner violence. Our scale might be used in clinical settings by helping women to identify their traditional gender beliefs and replace them by healthy and goal-oriented beliefs, which would also contribute in achieving a more egalitarian society.

Does employees’ gender matter? Investigating the indirect effect of abusive supervision on employee creativity through job insecurity in Indonesia

“…The social role theory has highlighted that male and female expectations related to social roles are a product of socialisation (Eagly and Wood, 2016; Rovira et al , 2022; Schneider and Bos, 2019). Considering the social roles where men are the “providers”, job security becomes vital for them.…”

“…Human behaviours are formed and sustained through socialisation (Eagly and Wood, 2016;Schneider and Bos, 2019). According to the gender role theory, those who hold the traditional view of social roles believe that women are caregivers while men are providers (Ngo et al, 2014;Rovira et al, 2022;Sirror et al, 2021). Indonesia still holds traditional gender views (Bird et al, 1984;Daraba et al, 2021;Mintz and Mahalik, 1996).…”

“…Based on the COR perspectives, employees who encounter abusive supervision might experience threats to their job security (Hobfoll et al, 2018), and this job insecurity drains their resources, causing a negative impact on creativity (Teng et al, 2019;Wang et al, 2019;Zhou and Long, 2011). Also, in the Indonesian context, men are the providers for the family and their job plays a vital role (Ngo et al, 2014;Rovira et al, 2022;Sirror et al, 2021). Threats to the job can have a dramatic impact on their security and consequently drain their resources.…”

Associations between wives' and husbands' attitudes towards women's economic participation and depressive symptoms, poor subjective health, and unemployment status in married women: A Korean longitudinal study (2014–2020)

“…According to the gender intensification hypothesis, those who internalise traditional gender norms (femininity or masculinity) may experience more psychological pressure, which induces gender role stress ( Tolman et al, 2006 ). It has been demonstrated that conformity to masculine/feminine gender identity is associated with poor mental health in both sexes ( Herreen et al, 2021 ; Rovira et al, 2022 ; Seidler et al, 2016 ). Our study found that this effect was significantly associated with depressive symptoms and poor subjective health in married women, especially when the GRAs were related to gender role differences in economic participation.…”

“…For example, men who conform to masculine norms have a tendency to consume more meat and women who conform to feminine norms have a higher risk of eating disorders due to their striving for thinness ( Fleming & Agnew-Brune, 2015 ; Sloan et al, 2015 ). In addition, traditional gender identity has been found to be associated with an increased risk of depression in women ( Rovira et al, 2022 ). Furthermore, studies have shown that gender role stress occurs when an individual's preferences or behaviours conflict with one's own gender-related stereotypes, and this stress is associated with psychiatric problems such as eating disorders and depression ( Bekker & Boselie, 2002 ; Kuehner, 2003 ).…”