Psychosocial and physiological correlates of male gender role stress among employed adults

Previous research has identified male gender role stress (MGRS) as a construct that leads men, as a function of traditional socialization processes, to appraise certain situations in ways that produce psychosocial and physiological distress. Because the initial research was based on college undergraduates, the current study explored the relationship of MGRS to psychosocial and physiological risk factors for cardiovascular disease among employed adults. As predicted, men obtained significantly higher scores than women on a measure, the MGRS Scale, developed to assess this construct. Women with elevated MGRS Scale scores, however, experienced undesirable outcomes much the same as their male counterparts. Specifically, MGRS Scale scores were significantly associated with Type A behavior, hostility, personal loss, life dissatisfaction, and elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The authors discuss possible environmental contributors to the development and maintenance of MGRS, including organizational factors associated with male-dominated work environments.