Gender Equitable Men (GEM) Scale

Scale Objective

To measure attitudes toward gender norms in intimate relationships or differing social expectations for men and women

Type(s) Of Behavior Or Outcomes Predicted

• Condom use
• Contraceptive use
• Multiple sexual partners
• Partner violence

Types of Items Included

• Violence
• Sexual relationships
• Homophobia
• Domestic chores and daily life
• Reproductive health and disease prevention

Number of Items and Subscales

• 24 items
• 2 subscales: equitable and inequitable

The number of items varies in different country applications of the GEM Scale. For example, the India adaptation had 15: 11 original items and 4 new items specific to the country. The Ethiopian adaptation

Violence Domain Items

• There are times when a woman deserves to be beaten.
• A woman should tolerate violence to keep her family together.
• It is alright for a man to beat his wife if she is unfaithful.
• A man can hit his wife if she won't have sex with him.
• If someone insults a man, he should defend his reputation with force if he has to.
• A man using violence against his wife is a private matter that shouldn't be discussed outside the couple.

Sexual Relationships Domain Items

• It is the man who decides what type of sex to have.
• Men are always ready to have sex.
• Men need sex more than women do.
• A man needs other women even if things with his wife are fine.
• You don't talk about sex, you just do it.
• It disgusts me when I see a man acting like a woman.
• A woman should not initiate sex.
• A woman who has sex before she marries does not deserve respect.

Reproductive Health and Disease Prevention Domain Items

• Women who carry condoms on them are easy.
• Men should be outraged if their wives ask them to use a condom.
• It is a woman's responsibility to avoid getting pregnant.
• Only when a woman has a child is she a real woman.
• A real man produces a male child.

Domestic Chores and Daily Life Domain Items

• Changing diapers, giving a bath, and feeding kids is the mother's responsibility
• A woman's role is taking care of her home and family.
• The husband should decide to buy the major household items.
• A man should have the final word about decisions in his home.
• A woman should obey her husband in all things.

Scoring Procedures

• Each of the above items was scored on a 3-point scale, where 1 = agree, 2 = partially agree, and 3 = do not agree.
• High scores represent high support for gender equitable norms. Certain items were reverse scored if a high score would reflect low support for gender equity. Responses to each item were summed.
• The continuous scores were used "as is" or were re-coded into various formats for different types of analyses and interpretations. As one coding option, the continuous GEM Scale was split into three equal parts: high, moderate, and low support for equitable gender norms. Typically, analyses have tested the associations between the GEM Scale and variables such as condom use, contraceptive use, and partner violence. GEM Scale scores have also been compared before and after an intervention.

Psychometrics Used in Scale Construction

• Factor analysis
• Estimate of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) = .81

Estimates of internal consistency vary in different country applications. For the Indian adaptation of the GEM Scale, alpha = .75. For the Ethiopian adaptation, alpha = .88

Type(s) of Statistics Used to Test Predictive Validity

• Chi-square tests
• Logistic regression
• Spearman correlation

Used with Women

Yes

Used with Men

Yes

Country or Countries Where Tested or Applied

• Brazil
• China
• Ethiopia
• India
• Kenya
• Tanzania
• Uganda

Additional Information

Findings suggest the GEM Scale is a sensitive and cross-culturally relevant tool that has good predictive validity. The "inequitable" subscale is more consistently reliable than the "equitable" subscale. Adaptations in multiple contexts have worked well. Items that relate to homosexuality have often been removed in adaptations of the scale.

Downloads:

• Gender Equitable Men (GEM) Scale (PDF )
• DOWNLOAD ENTIRE COMPENDIUM (PDF )

Source:

• Barker, G, M Nascimento, J Pulerwitz, C Ricardo, M Segundo, and R Verma. 2006. Engaging young men in violence prevention: Reflections from Latin America and India. In Combating gender violence in and around schools. F Leach and C Mitchell, eds. Trowbridge, UK: Cromwell Press.
• Barker, G, M Nascimento, M Segundo, and J Pulerwitz. 2004. How do we know if men have changed? Promoting and measuring attitude change with young men. In Gender equality and men. S Ruxton, ed. Oxford UK: Oxfam.
• Middlestadt S, J Pulerwitz, G Nanda, K Acharya, and B Lombardo. 2007. Gender norms as a key factor that influences SRH behaviors among Ethiopian men, and implications for behavior change programs. Draft manuscript.
• Pulerwitz, J, and G Barker. 2008. Measuring attitudes toward gender norms among young men in Brazil: Development and psychometric evaluation of the GEM Scale. Men and Masculinities 10:322––338.
• Pulerwitz, J, G Barker, M Segundo, and M Nascimento. 2006. "Promoting more gender-equitable norms and behaviors among young men as an HIV/AIDS prevention strategy." Horizons Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council.
• Verma R, J Pulerwitz, V Mahendra, et al. 2006. Challenging and changing gender attitudes among young men in India. Reproductive Health Matters 14 (28):1–10.
• Verma, R, V Mahendra, J Pulerwitz, G Barker, J Van Dam, and S Flessenkaemper. 2005. From research to action: Addressing masculinity and gender norms. Indian Journal of Social Work 65(4): 634—54.