Construct distinctiveness and variance composition of multi-dimensional instruments: Three short-form masculinity...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Multidimensional measures of masculinity are crucial for understanding men's psychological experiences.
• Existing instruments assess related but distinct concepts like norms, conformity, and conflict.
• Assessing the psychometric properties of these measures is vital for reliable research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the discriminant validity of three masculinity measures: Male Role Norms Inventory-Short Form (MRNI-SF), Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory-46 (CMNI-46), and Gender Role Conflict Scale-Short Form (GRCS-SF).
• To compare different factor modeling approaches (bifactor vs. hierarchical) for understanding score variance in these instruments.
• To determine if self-report measures can capture theoretically distinct aspects of masculinity.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to assess the discriminant validity of subscales.
• Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) compared bifactor and hierarchical models for each instrument.
• Data were collected from 444 community-dwelling and college men via an online survey.

Main Results:

• EFA confirmed the discriminant validity of the 20 subscales across the three masculinity measures.
• A bifactor model provided a superior fit for the CMNI-46 and MRNI-SF.
• A hierarchical factor model demonstrated a better fit for the GRCS-SF.

Conclusions:

• Self-report measures are effective in capturing nuanced psychological distinctions related to masculinity.
• The findings inform the appropriate use and interpretation of the MRNI-SF, CMNI-46, and GRCS-SF in research.
• This research has implications for measurement development in counseling psychology and other fields using self-report instruments.