An examination of the validity and reliability of a measure of sexual orientation identity exploration,resolution, and affirmation

The processes of identity exploration and resolution are salient during adolescence and young adulthood, and awareness of sexual orientation identity (SOI), in particular, is heightened in early adolescence. Much of the research on SOI development has focused on identity milestones (e.g., age of awareness and disclosure) or internalized homonegativity, rather than the developmental processes of exploration and resolution. Psychometric properties of the Sexual Orientation Identity Development Scale, which was adapted from a developmentally-informed measure of ethnic-racial identity, were evaluated in a sample of 382 Latina/o sexual minority adolescents and young adults. Results supported the reliability and validity of the adapted measure, as well as measurement equivalence across language (Spanish and English) and development (adolescence and young adulthood).     

POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS OF BEHAVIORAL DECISION RESEARCH TO TREATMENTS FOR DRUG ABUSE, RELATED RISKY BEHAVIORS, AND OTHER PROBLEMS:

Abstract— This commentary highlights potential applications of behavioral decision research to treatments for substance abuse and related risky behaviors. Some research questions are suggested to help determine how risk information developed with behavioral decision methods could be used with maximal impact to treat and prevent substance use The relevance of behavioral decision research treatments for other problems such as anxiety is briefly discussed. The important and direct applicability of behavioral decision methods to informed consent far research participants also is noted.     

Gendered norms for family size, employment, and occupation: Are there personal costs for violating them?

The present study investigated gendered stereotypes involving women’s family size, employment, and occupation. Eleven ratings of targets’ social and personality characteristics were ascribed by 400 undergraduates to a hypothetical married woman described as voluntarily childfree or the mother of one, two, or eight children, and as nonemployed or employed either part or full time in either a gender-appropriate or gender-inappropriate occupation. Women employed in gender-atypical occupations were considered less expressive and were socially distanced, but this factor did not interact with family size. Two-children mothers were regarded favorably as was employment. Prior findings denigrating single-child mothers and glorifying eight-children mothers were not replicated—both groups were rated similar to normative, two-children mothers. Consistent with prior research, childfree women were evaluated least favorably. Findings suggest that norms regarding both family size (two children) and employment exist among contemporary college students. The authors thank Pauline Beres for her help with data collection and entry. This paper was presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association in New York in 1995.     

Household responsibilities in middle-class couples: The contribution of demographic and personality variables

Data were obtained from 164 middle-class parents on a battery of self-report instruments that included a household activities questionnaire inquiring about the relative responsibility of husband and wife for routine domestic tasks traditionally assigned to women, maintenance tasks traditionally assigned to men, decision making, and child rearing. In the modal couple, child-rearing and decision-making responsibilities were shared approximately equally by husband and wife, but in most homes, everyday household tasks were divided along traditional gender lines. The battery also included questions about a number of demographic variables and two personality measures, one tapping cluster of gender-differentiating instrumental and expressive traits and the other tapping three achievement motives: mastery, work orientation, and interpersonal competitiveness. Several of the demographic factors, particularly the employment status of the wife, and several of the personality factors in the wives and in the husband account for significant portions of the variability among couples in degree of responsibility assumed by wife vs. husband for decision making and for feminine tasks.Preparation of this article was supported by National Science Foundation Grant BNS 78-08911 and National Institute of Mental Health Grant MH32066 (Janet T. Spence and Roberl L. Helmreich, Principal Investigators).     

Androgyny and sex-typing: Differences in beliefs regarding gender polarity in ratings of ideal men and women

To test Bem's (1979) hypothesis that androgynous and sex-typed individuals are differentiated by the presence or absence of beliefs in “gender polarity,” 200 students rated themselves on the short Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). Of these 200, 20 androgynous women, 20 androgynous men, 20 feminine sex-typed women, and 20 masculine sex-typed men were randomly selected and asked to rate either the ideal woman or the ideal man on the short BSRI. As predicted, androgynous women did not rate the ideal man and woman differently, but, contrary to prediction, neither did feminine-typed women. As predicted, masculine-typed men rated the ideal man and woman differently, but, contrary to prediction, so did androgynous men. Thus, sex rather than sex-role distinguished subjects' beliefs in gender polarity. This finding may reflect women's desires for, and men's fears of, abandoning traditional modes of sex differentiation. The large initial subject pool was necessary because an extremely high percentage of subjects were classified as feminine sex-typed. An apparent feminine bias in the short BSRI is discussed.     

Comments on Thomas and Jamison's “a test of the X-linked genetic hypothesis for sex differences on Piaget's water-level task”

In this paper H. Thomas and W. Jamison's (Developmental Review, 1981, 1, 274–283) formulation and evaluation of an X-linked genetic model for explaining male superiority on Piaget's water horizontality task is examined. Criticisms are leveled against (1) the suitability of the model invoked for explaining the sex difference found, (2) the power of the statistical test used to evaluate the model, and (3) the appropriateness of their correction factors. A research strategy for advancing our understanding of the sex difference in performance at this task is suggested.     

Effects of setting and number of observations on generalizability of parent-child interactions in childhood obesity treatment

The generalizability of behaviors across observational conditions is a critical issue in behavioral assessment. Generalizability theory was used to examine two aspects of audio recorded parent-child interactions recorded over 6 days of home measurement and 1 day of laboratory measurement in a behavioral treatment program for childhood obesity. Families audiotaped parent-child home meetings during which they reviewed self-monitored diet and exercise records that were coded for the following types of interactions: praise statements, negative statements, prompts for new behaviors, and statements promoting problem solving. A similar meeting was audiotaped in our laboratory. The first question explored was the number of measurements needed to generalize to the universe of the six home measures. Results showed an increase in generalizability over measurements for each behavioral category. Using generalizability coefficients of .60 or more, praise, negative comments and prompts, respectively, could be reliably observed based on 1, 4, or 4 days of measurement. Second, the effects of setting (laboratory versus home) were assessed for 1 day of measurement in each environment. Again using generalizability coefficients of .60, generalizability analysis showed that the lab setting could not be generalized to the home setting based on 1 day of measurement, with generalizability coefficients ranging from .27 for negative comments to .57 for praise. Results suggest that 4 days of behavioral assessment in the home can be used to establish generalizable data for all the dependent measures studied. However, generalizability coefficients suggested that 1 day of laboratory measurement was not adequate to generalize to typical home behavior.This research was supported in part by Grant NIH HD 23713 awarded to the third author.     

Evaluation of a Measure of Self-Esteem Based on the Concept of Unconditional Self-Regard

A measure of unconditional self-regard (USR) derived from Rogerian (client-centered) theory was evaluated in four studies. Results indicated that USR was highly reliable and was strongly related to other measures of self-esteem and negatively related to depression, anxiety, and symptoms of psychological distress. The measure was significantly related to the control and commitment dimensions of psychological hardiness but not to its challenge dimension. Evidence for discriminant validity was provided by findings that USR was unrelated to social desirability or private self-consciousness. Finally, female students'self-regard was significantly related to the unconditional positive regard they reported receiving from their mothers. Other correlations between self-regard and perceived regard from others, although nonsignificant, were often large in absolute value. Implications for counseling interventions are discussed.     

Developmental and Adjustment Issues of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Adolescents: A Review of the Empirical Literature

Various studies have reported adjustment problems experienced by gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) adolescents. A primary purpose of this paper is to critically review this literature. Difficulties that have been studied include past suicide attempts, substance use and abuse, conduct problems, and academic concerns. For example, a considerable number of GLB youth report a history of suicide attempts, with prevalence rates ranging from 11 to 42%. However, among other methodological concerns, studies in this area have not used a comparison sample of heterosexual youths. Characteristics of development particular to GLB adolescents are described, the empirical research on adjustment issues is reviewed, and potential risk and protective factors for GLB youths are discussed.