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Adolescent Femininity Ideology Scale (AFIS)

The Adolescent Femininity Ideology Scale (AFIS) is a 20-item measure of individual experiences and perceptions shaped by feminine conventions, separated into two subscales: Inauthentic Self in Relationships and Objectified Relationship with Body. Different aspects of accepting or resisting cultural conventions of femininity captured by the scale include expressing honest beliefs or feelings with others, perception of beauty, and body image.

Categories

Geographies Tested: United States of America

Populations Included: Female

Age Range: Adolescents

Items:

Sub-scale: Inauthentic Self in Relationships

1. I would tell a friend she looks nice, even if I think she shouldn't go out of the house dressed like that.
2. I express my opinions only if I can think of a nice way of doing it.
3. I worry that I make others feel bad if I am successful.
4. I would not change the way I do things in order to please someone else.*
5. I tell my friends what I honestly think even when it is an unpopular idea.*
6. Often I look happy on the outside in order to please others, even if I don't feel happy on the inside.
7. I wish I could say what I feel more often than I do.
8. I feel like it's my fault when I have disagreements with my friends.
9. When my friends ignore my feelings, I think that my feelings weren't very important anyway.
10. I usually tell my friends when they hurt my feelings.*

Sub-scale: Objectified Relationship with Body

11. The way I can tell that I am at a good weight is when I fit into a small size.
12. I often wish my body were different.
13. I think that a girl has to be thin to feel beautiful.
14. I think a girl has to have a light complexion and delicate features to be thought of as beautiful.
15. I am more concerned about how my body looks than how my body feels.
16. I feel comfortable looking at all parts of my body.*
17. I often feel uncomfortable in my body.
18. There are times when I have really good feelings in my body.*
19. The way I decide I am at a good weight is when I feel healthy.*
20. I decide how much to eat by how hungry I am.*

*Item is reverse-coded

Response Options:
(6-point scale)
Strongly disagree - 1
Strongly agree - 6

Scoring Procedures

Subscale scores are calculated by taking the average of each set of subscale items responses.

Original Citation

Tolman, D. L., & Porche, M. V. (2000). The Adolescent Femininity Ideology Scale: Development and validation of a new measure for girls. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 24(4), 365-376. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6402.2000.tb00219.x


Psychometric Score

Ease of Use Score

Scoring breakdown

Formative Research

Qualitative Research

Existing Literature/Theoretical Framework

Field Expert Input

Cognitive Interviews / Pilot Testing

Reliability

Internal

Test-retest

Interrater

Validity

Content

Face

Criterion (gold-standard)

Construct

KEY

Ease of Use

Readability

Scoring Clarity

Length

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