Gender Socialization Scale – GSS
Measures adolescent gender socialization, gender roles, and attitudes toward relationships and sexuality.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Gender Socialization Scale – GSS was developed by Marina Epstein (2008). It is designed to measure Gender socialization, gender roles, and attitudes toward relationships and sexuality. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 83 items organized into 9 factors/subscales: Traditional Gender Roles, Acceptant and Egalitarian, Nice and Pleasant, Anti-Gay, Big and Tough, Body Consciousness, Sexual Double Standard, Abstinence, Sex-Positive.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional Gender Roles | 25,35,42,59,62,69,71,72,74,80 | 10 |
| Acceptant and Egalitarian | 4,9,15,20,30,46,64,67,75,79 | 10 |
| Nice and Pleasant | 7,11,37,61,65,77,82 | 7 |
| Anti-Gay | 17,38,43,52 | 4 |
| Big and Tough | 13,21,40,50,54,66 | 6 |
| Body Consciousness | 24,36,56 | 3 |
| Sexual Double Standard | 16,18,27,44,53,60,70,76,78,83 | 10 |
| Abstinence | 12,22,33,41,45,68,73 | 7 |
| Sex-Positive | 19,26,29,51,81 | 5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = None, 1 = A Little, 2 = Some, 3 = A Lot.
The scale includes 1 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 30. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low endorsement (based on a 10-item subscale): 0 – 10
- Moderate endorsement (based on a 10-item subscale): 11 – 20
- High endorsement (based on a 10-item subscale): 21 – 30
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Traditional Gender Roles: alpha = .87; Acceptant and Egalitarian: alpha = .83; Big & Tough: alpha = .77; Nice and Pleasant: alpha = .62; Anti-Gay: alpha = .84; Body Consciousness: alpha = .74; Sexual Double Standard: alpha = .88; Sex Positive: alpha = .69; Abstinence: alpha = .80.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.