Perceived Similarity to Gender Groups Scale: Validation in a Sample of Italian LGB + and Heterosexual Young Adults.

INTRODUCTION

The present article describes two interrelated studies that examine gender typicality in young adulthood using a new dual-identity approach.

METHODS

Participants were recruited online from March 2020 to February 2021 and reported their perceived similarity to own- and other-gender peers as a way to assess their gender typicality. In study 1, the authors conducted an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test and validate the in a sample of Italian young adults ( = 571;  = 23.9; SD = 3.60). The authors documented the configural, metric, scalar measurement invariance, and validity. In study 2, the adopted in study 1 was used to assess the distribution of different typologies of gender typicality in another sample of Italian young adults who vary in gender and sexual orientation ( = 1126;  = 24.3; SD = 3.51).

RESULTS

Results confirmed the structural validity of the , revealing the two-factor structure of the scale. Moreover, results of cluster analysis found different typologies of self-perceptions of gender typicality.

CONCLUSION

Both studies emphasize the relevance of studying gender typicality in young adulthood through a dual-identity approach, highlighting the relevance of gender and sexual orientations.

POLICY IMPLICATIONS

The use of the dual-identity approach has significant social and clinical implications as it represents a more flexible and representative model of the complexity of gender typicality.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13178-021-00631-5.