African American Gender Roles: A Content Analysis of Empirical Research From 1981 to 2017

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how gender roles research has been conducted among African Americans in the psychological literature. Accordingly, we completed a content analysis of empirical studies on this topic. We utilized the Table of Contents of several psychology journals, psychological databases, and search engines to identify relevant literature. Articles included for review met the following criteria: (a) published between 1981 and 2017, (b) empirically based, (c) psychologically focused on gender- or sex-role constructs, and (d) included samples that were solely African American or consisted of a substantial number of African American participants (range: 17-3,000). Qualifying articles ( N = 56) were categorized into one of five content areas (i.e., Self-Concept and Social Identity, Scale Development and Validation, Personality, Family and Gender Role Socialization, and Education/Vocation). We also analyzed sample characteristics, research methods, and publication trends across studies. A majority of the reviewed studies included samples of adults, utilized quantitative methods, and were published within the past 18 years. Using the results of the analysis, we highlight the strengths and limitations of the current scholarship focused on gender roles among African Americans and offer suggestions regarding future research and its significance within the field of Black psychology.