Sex-role stereotyping in assessments of mental health made by psychiatric-mental health nurses.

To determine the amount of sex-role stereotyping in judgments of mental health made by psychiatric-mental health nurses, 150 of these nurses, divided into three equal groups, were asked to rate ideal states of mental health in males, females, and adults, respectively. An 83 percent return rate was obtained. Results showed: 1) there was less sex-role stereotyping than in a similar study reported in 1970 with other mental health professionals; 2) judgments of mental health closely resembled assessments of social desirability; 3) healthy females were rated closer to that which was considered desirable and closer to the healthy adult pole than males or adults; 4) healthy females possessed the valued male traits without losing the female-valued characteristics; and 5) nurses who had longer experience as therapists, who were older, and who were still practicing viewed men and women as more alike rather than placing higher expectations on women.