Assessing the Work and Family Role Expectations of Career-Oriented Men and Women: The Life Role Salience Scales

Abstract

This study reviews the development of the Life Role Salience Scales (LRSS), which were designed to assess men's and women's personal expectations concerning occupational, marital, parental, and homecare roles. Two aspects of personal role expectations were assessed by means of the scales: (a) the personal importance or value attributed to participation in a particular role, and (b) the intended level of commitment of personal time and energy resources to enactment of a role. Measurement of these dimensions by means of a set of attitude scales was the focus of the research effort. Design objectives were to develop an instrument applicable to both men and women and to persons anticipating as well as those currently engaged in these four roles, and to provide items that might reflect attitudinal changes as a result of changes in role status. Research results indicate that the instrument has eight clearly defined scales demonstrating adequate convergent and discriminant validity and reliability.