The Masculine and Feminine Self-Disclosure Scale (MFSDS)

Abstract

The Masculine and Feminine Self-Disclosure Scale (MFSDS) is a specialized psychometric instrument designed to quantify an individual’s self-reported willingness to engage in Self-Disclosure regarding topics traditionally classified along gender lines. Developed by William E. Snell, Jr. and colleagues, the MFSDS moves beyond global measures of openness by systematically distinguishing between the expressive and instrumental dimensions of gender.

The scale employs a 42-item structure that separates disclosure willingness concerning internal self-descriptive traits (e.g., warmth, independence) from overt, observable behaviors (e.g., organizing groups, showing affection). This structure provides researchers with a detailed framework for analyzing precisely how adherence to specific Gender Roles influences communication patterns, relational intimacy, and social functioning.

Keywords

Self-Disclosure, Masculine Traits, Feminine Traits, Gender Role, Instrumental Behavior, Expressive Behavior, Psychometrics, Communication, Personality Assessment, Gender Identity, Social Psychology, Self-Presentation.

Authors

William E. Snell, Jr., S. S. Belk, R. C. Hawkins II, A. Flowers, J. Warren

Purpose

The primary objective of the MFSDS is to systematically assess the complex relationship between an individual’s endorsement of traditional Gender Roles and their propensity for interpersonal communication through self-disclosure. It was specifically designed to overcome the limitations of older, unidimensional disclosure measures by focusing on four distinct domains: Masculine Traits, Feminine Traits, Masculine Behaviors, and Feminine Behaviors.

This detailed approach is crucial for investigating whether individuals exhibit greater comfort disclosing topics congruent with their perceived identity (e.g., men disclosing instrumental topics, women disclosing expressive topics). Furthermore, the MFSDS facilitates research into how disclosure willingness might vary depending on the target audience (e.g., romantic partners, friends, or therapists), offering critical insights into areas like social anxiety and relational dynamics.

Construct

The fundamental construct measured by the MFSDS is Gender-Specific Self-Disclosure Willingness. This construct is operationalized by dividing disclosure topics into instrumental and expressive dimensions, which correspond to traditional conceptualizations of masculinity and femininity, respectively.

The scale further differentiates between two distinct aspects within these dimensions: Traits, which represent internal beliefs about the self (e.g., how persistent or sympathetic one believes they are), and Behaviors, which represent overt, observable actions (e.g., calling up old friends or directing a group’s activity). This four-part structure ensures a nuanced assessment of how both internal identity and external action orientations influence an individual’s readiness for Self-Disclosure.

Validity

The initial validation studies for the MFSDS provided robust evidence for its construct validity, particularly supporting the hypothesized four-factor structure. This structure successfully separated the gender domains (masculine vs. feminine) and the presentation style domains (traits vs. behaviors).

Convergent validity was established through meaningful correlations with other prominent measures of gender roles, such as the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI), confirming the MFSDS’s ability to reliably capture gender-related self-presentation differences. Furthermore, the scale has demonstrated strong predictive validity in research showing that willingness to disclose masculine topics often predicts assertive or instrumental behavioral outcomes, while willingness to disclose feminine topics predicts engagement in socio-emotional behaviors essential for maintaining relational health.

Reliability

The reliability of the MFSDS is well-established, with initial development papers (Snell, Belk, & Hawkins, 1986) reporting high levels of internal consistency across the four primary subscales. The alpha coefficients for the Masculine Trait, Masculine Behavior, Feminine Trait, and Feminine Behavior subscales generally exhibited acceptable to strong coefficients, confirming that the items within each domain cohesively measure the intended construct.

In addition to internal consistency, subsequent research has supported the test-retest reliability of the MFSDS. This evidence indicates that individuals’ self-reported patterns of gender-specific self-disclosure are stable over reasonable periods of time, supporting its utility for longitudinal communication research.

Factor Analysis

The MFSDS was developed using a rigorous factor analytic approach that initially identified six distinct factors. These factors were subsequently streamlined into four primary subscales alongside two global, single-item measures.

The factor structure strongly confirmed the core theoretical distinctions: the clear separation of Instrumental (Masculine) topics from Expressive (Feminine) topics, and the clear separation of self-perceived Traits from observed Behaviors. This resulted in the four core scales (Masculine Trait, Masculine Behavior, Feminine Trait, and Feminine Behavior), which account for the majority of the variance in disclosure willingness. Items 41 and 42 function independently as global self-ratings of masculinity and femininity.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-Report Questionnaire / Psychological Assessment Scale

Format: The instrument consists of 42 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale, which assesses the respondent’s willingness to discuss each topic. The anchor points range from 0 (Not at all willing to discuss this topic with:) to 4 (Totally willing to discuss this topic with:).

Language Available: English (Primary language of development)

Population Group: General adult population

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (typically 18+)

Population Details: While initially validated on college students, the scale is used extensively in social psychology research, communication studies, and clinical settings focusing on gender differences and relational health. The original scale and related information are available online at: http://www4.semo.edu/snell/scales/MFSDS.htm and http://www4.semo.edu/snell/TESTING.HTM.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate their willingness to self-disclose each specific item/topic. Scoring involves summing the scores for items belonging to each of the four main subscales (Masculine Trait, Masculine Behavior, Feminine Trait, Feminine Behavior), as well as the two global items.

Keywords

Gender Identity, Communication Styles, Psychological Testing, Social Psychology, Expressiveness, Instrumentality, William E. Snell, Jr., Self-Presentation, Relational Intimacy.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source content.

Correspondence Address: William E. Snell, Jr., Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Southeast Missouri State University, One University Plaza, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Masculine and Feminine Self-Disclosure Scale (MFSDS) was initially developed and validated in the mid-1980s, with the primary psychometric publication occurring in 1986. The scale and related information are often made available by the author for academic and research purposes.

Researchers intending to utilize the MFSDS must contact the primary author, William E. Snell, Jr., directly to obtain formal permission and receive the most current guidelines regarding usage and potential associated fees, if applicable.

Reference’s

Snell, W. E., Jr. (1989). Willingness to self-disclose to female and male friends as a function of social anxiety and gender. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 15, 113-125.

Snell, W. E., Jr., Belk, S. S., Flowers, A., & Warren, J. (1988). Women’s and men’s willingness to self-disclose to therapists and friends: The moderating influence of instrumental, expressive, masculine, and feminine topics. Sex Roles, 18, 769-776.

Snell, W. E., Jr., Belk, S. S., & Hawkins, R. C. II (1986). The Masculine and Feminine Self-Disclosure Scale: The politics of masculine and feminine self-presentation. Sex Roles, 15, 249-267.

Items of the The Masculine and Feminine Self-Disclosure Scale (MFSDS)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. How self-sufficient you believe you are.
2. How often you tell people you really like their friendship.
3. The extent to which you speak up when you want something.
4. How frequently you give up on tasks before actually completing them.
5. How warm a person you believe you are.
6. How autonomous you believe you are.
7. How thoughtful you believe you are.
8. How competitive you believe you are.
9. How frequently you volunteer your time to “benefit” activities.
10. How often you stop to help others pick up things they have dropped.
11. How strongly you usually defend your own opinions.
12. How kind you believe you are.
13. How often you call up old friends just to see how they are.
14. How gentle you believe you are.
15. How often you kiss or hug your family members.
16. How forceful you believe you are.
17. How sympathetic you believe you are.
18. How often you play to win in sports and other games.
19. How often you put things off to do at a later time.
20. How frequently you help others who are moving to a new location.
21. How independent you believe you are.
22. How often you change your mind when making a decision.
23. The extent to which you usually direct a group’s activity.
24. How understanding of others you believe you are.
25. How assertive you believe you are.
26. How competitive you believe you are.
27. How often you organize group projects.
28. How concerned for others you believe you are.
29. How often you hold hands with someone.
30. How self-reliant you believe you are.
31. How often you invite others over just to talk.
32. How persistent you believe you are.
33. How considerate of others you believe you are.
34. The extent to which you work on tasks where you alone are responsible.
35. How efficient you believe you are.
36. How often you spend time with children.
37. How tender you believe you are.
38. How frequently you visit your relatives.
39. How sensitive you believe you are.
40. The extent to which you are typically the first to talk in a discussion group.
41. How masculine you are.
42. How feminine you are.

Scoring Key and Subscales:

• Masculine Trait Scale (Items 1, 6, 21, 25, 30, 32, 35)
• Masculine Behavior Scale (Items 3, 11, 22, 23, 27, 34, 40)
• Feminine Trait Scale (Items 5, 12, 14, 17, 24, 33, 37)
• Feminine Behavior Scale (Items 2, 10, 13, 15, 29, 31, 38)
• “Global” Masculinity Scale (Item 41)
• “Global” Femininity Scale (Item 42)