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The Toxic Masculinity Scale: Development and Initial Validation
Steven Michael Sanders1, Claudia Garcia-Aguilera1, Nicholas C Borgogna2
1School of Psychological Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 27, 2024
Summary
This study developed the Toxic Masculinity Scale (TMS28), a 28-item, 4-factor survey measuring harmful masculine norms. The TMS28 demonstrates reliability and validity for assessing toxic masculinity in men.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Measurement Science
Background:
- Toxic masculinity encompasses harmful social norms associated with traditional masculinity.
- Existing measures may not fully capture the multifaceted nature of toxic masculinity.
- A validated instrument is needed to accurately assess these constructs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate the Toxic Masculinity Scale (TMS).
- To identify key dimensions of toxic masculinity through empirical investigation.
- To provide a reliable and valid tool for research on men's mental health and social behavior.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and qualitative inquiry (grounded theory) to generate items.
- Expert review and preliminary testing with U.S. undergraduate men (N=683).
- Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to refine scale structure and identify factors (Masculine Superiority, Gender Rigidity, Emotional Restriction, Repressed Suffering).
Main Results:
- Initial 165 items reduced to 35, then to 28 items loading onto 4 factors.
- The final Toxic Masculinity Scale (TMS28) showed strong internal consistency (α = 0.93).
- TMS28 demonstrated good construct and discriminant validity, correlating as expected with related and opposing measures.
Conclusions:
- The TMS28 is a reliable and valid measure for assessing toxic masculinity.
- The scale's four factors provide a nuanced understanding of harmful masculine norms.
- The TMS28 can be utilized in future research to explore the impact of toxic masculinity.
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