Clinical applications of the BEM sex-role inventory with university women.

Abstract

The present paper examines current definitions and functions of masculinity and femininity as seen through the experience of university women who seek psychotherapy. Among these clients there appear to be several clinical groupings which reflect the salient categories originally offered by Bem's (1974) Sex-role Inventory: feminine type, masculine type, undifferentiated type, and androgynous type. Each type brings to therapy a differing set of interpersonal and intrapersonal difficulties. A theoretical model is briefly described and utilized to describe the personality dynamics of these four clinical composites and also provides the basis for discussion. Sex-role research is reviewed as it is pertinent to the psychological difficulties of these four types. Descriptions of the clinical profiles are then presented and are followed by a discussion which explores the implications for the psychology of women.