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Effects of Gender-Role Self-Discrepancy on Depressed Mood

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Abstract

A study by Grimmell and Stern (1992) suggestedthat gender roles may influence psychological well-beingthrough self-discrepancy — that is, by inducingunfavorable comparisons between one's actual behavior and the imagined behavior of one's gender-roleideal. This study replicates and extends this generalfinding. Depressed mood and gender roles are eachassessed using multiple measures, allowing more detailed explorations of the nature of any correlationbetween the two constructs. Further, several cognitivefactors, including locus of control, attributionalstyle, and self-efficacy, are also measured andcontrolled statistically. Results provide support for theself-discrepancy view, but more as an influence ofenduring mood than as a factor in the genesis ofdepressive episodes.

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Grimmell, D. Effects of Gender-Role Self-Discrepancy on Depressed Mood. Sex Roles 39, 203–214 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018898320768

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