This document discusses gender-role stereotypes and their consequences. It provides examples of common stereotypes for groups like feminists, Asian women, and those with mental illnesses. Gender-role stereotypes influence perceptions and treatment of others, as well as self-efficacy. As a future mental health professional, recognizing the impact of these stereotypes will be important to provide equitable care for all patients regardless of gender.

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(2-3) Short Paper: Gender-Role Stereotypes
Alexandra Perkins
Southern New Hampshire University

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Subcategories of gender-role stereotypes serve the purpose of defining the characteristics
of an identified subtype. These subgroups are expansive and include numerous categories for
both men and women. Each subcategory of gender-role stereotypes possess two or more
elements: (1) the characteristic of gender and (2) the unique characteristic specific to the
subgroup. For example, one subtype for females is that of a feminist. Under this subtype, “one
such stereotype is that feminists hate men. Interestingly, it is not that feminists dislike men, but
men dislike feminists” (Helgeson, 2017). Under the feminist subtype, women are stereotyped
into being aggressive or resentful of men. The feminist stereotype includes both the element of
gender and a unique characteristic specific to the subtype. There may be multiple stereotypes that
address a single population in relation to gender. In addition to the stereotype of hating men,
feminists have also been stereotyped as unattractive and likely to be lesbian (Helgeson, 2017).
These two stereotypes are related and although they apply specifically to feminism, the relation
of these stereotypes draws from stereotypes about women in the LGBTQIA+ community.
The consequences of gender-role stereotypes are extensive. The creation of a subcategory
stereotype does not eliminate overarching stereotypes of gender. In fact, subtyping solidifies
generalized gender stereotypes while detracting from the influence that prejudice has on thoughts
and behavior. Gender-role stereotypes impact the perceptions of and behavior towards others.
These stereotypes may also impact how an individual views their role in society based on gender.
For example, women, Asians, and the elderly are often stereotyped as bad drivers. There is an
existing prejudice against these populations, and furthermore when an individual belongs to
more than one population. Asian women being the worst drivers of any race or gender is an
example of a subcategory gender stereotype. However, this stereotype has no factual basis and
may contribute to feelings of anxiety or anger when encountering a female Asian driver (UUTv,

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2017). Asian women may be discouraged from getting their motor vehicle license in the United
States or experience hostility in their communities or by other drivers. The prejudice against
Asian women driving has consequential influence on how these women are treated on the road,
when pursuing a license, or to their self-efficacy.
From personal experience, a subcategory of gender-role stereotypes that has influenced
my perceptions would be gender bias when treating mental illness. Women with serious mental
illness (SMI) often experienced difficulties in obtaining care and continuity of care because
“some clinicians may feel discomfort treating this population, find them hard to work with, and
avoid working with them” (Mizock & Brubaker, 2019). This gender bias prevents women with
severe maladaptive issues from receiving adequate care. In addition to difficulty locating
services, women also experienced gender bias in diagnosis. Women with SMI “tend to be over
diagnosed with affective and personality disorders and underdiagnosed with substance abuse
problems” (Mizock & Brubaker, 2019). Women are more commonly diagnosed with histrionic,
borderline, or dependent personality disorders and mood disorders (such as bipolar) in
comparison to their male counterparts. Gendered beliefs about mental disorders are notable in
both their accuracy and relation to stigma (Boysen, 2017). In an analysis of diagnostic gender
bias, it was found that “disorders perceived as masculine include Substance-Related Disorders,
Impulse Control Disorders, Antisocial Personality Disorder, and Paraphilic Disorders” (Boysen,
2017). Disorders perceived as feminine include Eating Disorders, Body Dysmorphic Disorder,
Borderline Personality Disorder, Histrionic Personality Disorder, Dependent Personality
Disorder, and Orgasmic Disorder (Boysen, 2017). As mentioned previously, the perception of
“feminine disorders” contributes to a higher rate of diagnosis for women even if the female’s
mental illness reflects one of the “masculine disorders”. The stereotypically behaviors of these

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mental illnesses are viewed as being characteristic of a male’s or female’s “crazy” behavior.
Masculine disorders are associated with addiction, aggression, and sex. These behaviors are not
characteristic of typical female behavior and an underlying gender bias might influence a mental
health professional to assign a feminine disorder to a female even if she is displaying the
symptoms of addiction, aggression and sex commonly associated with masculine disorders.
As a future professional in the mental health field, especially in the field of addiction
psychology, it is pertinent that I recognize the influence of subtyping gender-roles throughout the
treatment process. Women, men, and other genders are entitled to equitable and adequate mental
health care, an aspect that should not be influenced by their preferred gender. Women with SMI
in the mental health field experience feelings of diminishing dismissals, symptom misattribution,
male mistrust, and psychiatric insults (Mizock & Brubaker, 2019). As a professional, my goal is
to aid my patients in understanding the prognosis of and treatment methods for their psychiatric
illness. When women experience diminishing dismissals, they often are led to question the
legitimacy of their symptoms and the concerns of their counselor. This is something I will work
to avoid. A woman with SMI explained, “Women tend to be looked at as helpless anyway. And
when they have a mental illness, they’re looked down upon as this mad lady” (Mizock &
Brubaker, 2019). Additionally, I will work to avoid the erroneous ascription of mental health
symptoms to ensure my patient is being treated for the correct mental illness uninfluenced by
their gender. As a female provider, I inherently avoid male mistrust, but this is an element to
consider when working with male clients to prevent rifts in the patient-client relationship.
Psychiatric insults are unacceptable for clinicians to express to their clients and contribute to a
“doomsday” view of their illness (Mizock & Brubaker, 2019). Psychoeducation on the prognosis
of the disorder and related symptoms will aid in combating the feeling of helplessness and

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hopelessness that women experience when diagnosed with serious mental illness. All these
considerations are necessary to avoid the influence of subcategories of gender-role stereotypes in
my future profession.

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References
Boysen, G. A. (2017). Exploring the relation between masculinity and mental illness stigma
using the stereotype content model and BIAS map. Journal of Social Psychology, 157(1),
98–113.
Helgeson, V.S. (2017). Psychology of Gender. [VitalSource Bookshelf].
https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781317286356/
Mizock, L., & Brubaker, M. (2019). Treatment experiences with gender and discrimination
among women with serious mental illness. Psychological Services. https://doi-
org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1037/ser0000346
UUtv. (2017, June 22). Are Asian women the worst drivers? Asian stereotypes challenged!
[Video File]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdBFDSu6wsk