MASCULINITY IDEOLOGIES SCALE: DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION FOR PAKISTANI CONTEXT

Abstract

By reviewing Pakistani literature on men and masculinities, existing research seems to be in a budding phase. Current study thus targeted to develop a psychometrically sound scale for measuring masculinity ideologies in a Pakistani culture so as to give thrust to the masculinity studies. The scale development proceeded in three phases. First phase involved generation of item pool based on an earlier qualitative study that explored about indigenous masculinity ideologies. In second phase, factor structure was explored using exploratory factor analysis where Principal Axis Factoring was utilized with Promax rotation. For this purpose, 421 participants (Men = 268, Women = 173) were recruited with age range of 19 to 51 years, through convenience sampling. A four factors structure was yielded that comprised of 31 items explaining 48.70% variance. Final phase involved performing the confirmatory factor analysis on the items finalized in the previous phase using an independent sample. This sample (Men = 219, Women = 133) ranged in age from 20 to 44 years. The tested model was confirmed after adding three modification indices. The scale yielded good alpha reliabilities for the emerged factors. Weak to moderate correlations of these factors with Gender Role Attitude Scale (Kamal & Saqib, 2004) provided for discriminant validity evidence. This scale thus outlines the masculinity ideologies of male privilege and power, traditional roles and responsibilities, avoiding effeminacy, and restricted emotionality. A useful measure was thus acquired to provide impetus to clinical and research work focusing on masculinity in indigenous context.