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The Masculine and Feminine Self-Disclosure Scale (MFSDS)
by
Dr. William E. Snell, Jr.

This page shows a copy of the Masculine and Feminine Self-Disclosure Scale (MFSDS).

 

MFSDS

INSTRUCTIONS: You have been given a list of 42 topics below. This survey is concerned with the extent to which you would be willing to discuss these topics with different people. Before each item you will notice four columns. These columns represent the following people: (AA) a male friend, (BB) a female friend, (CC), a male clinician, and (DD) a female clinician. For these columns you are to indicate how willing you would be to discuss each specific topic with each of the four specified persons. Use the following scale:
0 = Not at all willing to discuss this topic with:
1 =
2 =
3 =
4 = Totally willing to discuss this topic with:
(AA) = a male friend
(BB) = a female friend
(CC) = a male clinician
(DD) = a female clinician
......................Topics...................................................................................... (AA) (BB) (CC) (DD)
1. How self-sufficient you believe you are. -----------------------------------------------------------1._ ..2._ ..3._ .4._
2. How often you tell people you really like their friendship.-------------------------------------5._ ..6._ ..7._ .8._
3. The extent to which you speak up when you want something. ------------------------------9._ 10._ 11._ 12._
4. How frequently you give up on tasks before actually completing them. ------------------13._ 14._ 15._ 16._
5. How warm a person you believe you are. ---------------------------------------------------------17._ 18._ 19._ 20._
6. How autonomous you believe you are. ------------------------------------------------------------21._ 22._ 23._ 24._
7. How thoughtful you believe you are. --------------------------------------------------------------25._ 26._ 27._ 28._
8. How competitive you believe you are. ------------------------------------------------------------29._ 30._ 31._ 32._
9. How frequently you volunteer your time to "benefit" activities. ---------------------------33._ 34._ 35._ 36._
10. How often you stop to help others pick up things they have dropped. -----------------37._ 38._ 39._ 40._
11. How strongly you usually defend your own opinions. -------------------------------------41._ 42._ 43._ 44._
12. How kind you believe you are. -------------------------------------------------------------------45._ 46._ 47._ 48._
13. How often you call up old friends just to see how they are. ------------------------------49._ 50._ 51._ 52._
14. How gentle you believe you are. ------------------------------------------------------------------53._ 54._ 55._ 56._
15. How often you kiss or hug your family members. ------------------------------------------57._ 58._ 59._ 60._
16. How forceful you believe you are. ----------------------------------------------------------------61._ 62._ 63._ 64._
17. How sympathetic you believe you are. ----------------------------------------------------------65._ 66._ 67._ 68._
18. How often you play to win in sports and other games. ------------------------------------69._ 70._ 71._ 72._
19. How often you put things off to do at a later time. ------------------------------------------73._ 74._ 75._ 76._
20. How frequently you help others who are moving to a new location. -------------------77._ 78._ 79._ 80._
21. How independent you believe you are. ---------------------------------------------------------81._ 82._ 83._ 84._
22. How often you change your mind when making a decision. ------------------------------85._ 86._ 87._ 88._
23. The extent to which you usually direct a group's activity. --------------------------------89._ 90._ 91._ 92._
24. How understanding of others you believe you are. ------------------------------------------93._ 94._ 95._ 96._
25. How assertive you believe you are. --------------------------------------------------------------97._ 98._ 99._ 100._
26. How competitive you believe you are. --------------------------------------------------------101._ 102._ 103._ 104._
27. How often you organize group projects. ------------------------------------------------------105._ 106._ 107._ 108._
28. How concerned for others you believe you are. ---------------------------------------------109._ 110._ 111._ 112._
29. How often you hold hands with someone. ---------------------------------------------------113._ 114._ 115._ 116._
30. How self-reliant you believe you are. ----------------------------------------------------------117._ 118._ 119._ 120._
31. How often you invite others over just to talk. -----------------------------------------------121._ 122._ 123._ 124._
32. How persistent you believe you are. ------------------------------------------------------------125._ 126._ 127._ 128._
33. How considerate of others you believe you are. ---------------------------------------------129._ 130._ 131._ 132._
34. The extent to which you work on tasks where you alone are responsible. ----------133._ 134._ 135._ 136._
35. How efficient you believe you are. --------------------------------------------------------------137._ 138._ 139._ 140._
36. How often you spend time with children. -----------------------------------------------------141._ 142._ 143._ 144._
37. How tender you believe you are. -----------------------------------------------------------------145._ 146._ 147._ 148._
38. How frequently you visit your relatives. -------------------------------------------------------149._ 150._ 151._ 152._
39. How sensitive you believe you are. -------------------------------------------------------------153._ 154._ 155._ 156._
40. The extent to which you are typically the first to talk in a discussion group. ------157._ 158._ 159._ 160._
41. How masculine you are. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 161._ 162._ 163._ 164._
42. How feminine you are. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------165._ 166._ 167._ 168._

Copyright - 1990
Scoring Instructions for 
the Masculine and Feminine Self-Disclosure Scale
The Masculine and Feminine Self-Disclosure Scale (MFSDS) 
consists of 6 subscales for each disclosure target person.
The labels and items for each of these subscales are listed below:
The Masculine and Feminine Self-Disclosure Scale (MFSDS) consists of six (6) subscales for each disclosure recipient that is specified. [In our first study with the scale, we used male friend, female friend, male job interviewer, and spouse-partner as the disclosure targets. In our second study with the MFSDS, we used male friend, female friend, male therapist, and female therapist as the disclosure recipients. Also, in these two studies we asked the participants to indicate "how willing" they would be to discuss...; other researchers may also be interested in "how much have you" discussed these topics with....]

The labels and items for each of these 6 subscales are listed below. The other items on the MFSDS are treated as "filler" items.
1. Masculine Trait Scale (Items 1, 6, 21, 25, 30, 32, 35)
2. Masculine Behavior Scale (Items 3, 11, 22, 23, 27, 34, 40)
3. Feminine Trait Scale (Items 5, 12, 14, 17, 24, 33, 37)
4. Feminine Behavior Scale (Items 2, 10, 13, 15, 29, 31, 38)
5. "Global" Masculinity Scale (Item 41)
6. "Global" Femininity Scale (Item 42)
CODING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ITEMS
The items on each subscale are then summed and averaged, so that higher scores correspond to greater willingness to self-disclosure about that aspect of the self.
Researchers are encouraged to use this instrument in whatever research project that interests them. Blanket authorization is given for its use to any and all professionals.
The only request is that such individuals "report" (loosely defined) the results to the authors (see address listed below). Thank you.
William E. Snell, Jr., Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
Southeast Missouri State University
One University Plaza
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Permission is granted to individuals to use 
the Masculine and Feminine Self-Disclosure Scale (MFSDS) for research purposes.
Permission granted by William E. Snell, Jr. on February 18, 1997.

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This site was last updated on Sunday, June 17, 2007 .
Department of Psychology, SE Missouri State University
Send comments and inquires to wesnell@semovm.semo.edu

Copyright @ 1997 to Dr. William E. Snell, Jr.