title: The Femininity Ideology Scale (FIS): dimensions and its relationship to anxiety and feminine gender role stress.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to conduct a confirmatory factor analytic investigation of the Femininity Ideology Scale (FIS) and to assess whether feminine gender role stress mediated the relationship between femininity ideology and anxiety. During the 2010-2011 academic year, a convenience sample of 606 college women were recruited from three universities and one college. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a four- versus the hypothesized five-factor model, resulting in the elimination of the Dependency/Deference factor. Mediation analysis using structural equation modeling indicated no direct relationship between Femininity Ideology and Anxiety, although an indirect one was observed, mediated through Feminine Gender Role Stress. The results are discussed in terms of possible changes in contemporary notions of femininity, and the utility of using the FIS in applied therapeutic settings.
authors.affiliation: a Psychology Department , Muhlenberg College , Allentown , Pennsylvania , USA.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Richmond
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Levant
authors.forename: Bryant
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smalley
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D057227:Femininity; D005783:Gender Identity; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D017008:Negotiating; D057566:Self Report; D012925:Social Conformity; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: anxiety; dependency/deference; feminine gender role stress; femininity ideology; gender role strain paradigm