SEX-ROLE STEREOTYPING IN RATINGS OF MENTAL HEALTH BY UNDERGRADUATES

This study looked at the concept of positive mental health or self-actualization and the characteristics of which it is comprised. These characteristics were defined as those measured by the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI). This study also examined the possibility of these characteristics being sex-typed. Undergraduate subjects were administered the POI with one of three instruction-types: to apply their answers to a mentally healthy man, a mentally healthy woman, or a mentally healthy person (sex unspecified). Experimental conditions consisted of male or female subject sex vs. instruction-type and analyses were performed which compared subject responses from one condition to another. Results showed no statistical significant differences within either subject sex and between all three instruction-types. Neither male nor female subjects differentiated between the mentally healthy man, woman or person. All were considered similar. Results showed a significant difference between subject sex and within each instruction-type. Responses from female subjects were higher than those from male subjects. Implications were suggested to the helping professions and future research was discussed