A Comparison of the Wife-And Mother Role Concepts of American and Filipino College Women

The primary objective of this study was to determine the differences between the Filipino and American college girls’ conceptions of the wife-and-mother role. For measurement of the role conceptions, the inventory based upon one developed by Annabelle Bender Motz was used. This inventory consists of 24 statements which were considered to be typical of traditional or companionship conceptions of wife-and-mother roles.The respondents are asked to indicate whether they agree or disagree with each statement.Answered one way, the choice will reflect a traditional concept, whereas answered the opposite way, the choice reflects a companionship concept.The statements revolved round six areas: education, financial support, social participation, housework, employment and care of children. Each area of behavior was measured by four statements: General traditional, specific traditional, general companionship, and specific companionship. Thus there were two statements concerned with role conceptions of the specific employment role, and so on—hence the maximum score on any such area was “2.”The study made it apparent that the two conceptual types, traditional and companionship, applied to both specific and general roles, and that they need not coincide. It was therefore possible to determine from the subjects’ responses whether the conceptions of their own roles and the roles of wives as a group were traditional or companionate. Advisor: Kenneth L. Canno