Exploring Gendered Norms and Experiences of People With PCOS
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Authors
Skinner, Jessica
Issue Date
2024-04-04
Type
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Abstract
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder characterized by many small cysts existing bilaterally on the ovaries. PCOS is estimated to affect roughly 8-13% of reproductive-age females, making it the most common endocrinological disorder. PCOS symptomology varies but most commonly includes infertility, oligoovulation/irregular menstruation, obesity, insulin resistance, and hirsutism. Existing research on PCOS is largely medicalized, with very few studies examining it through a psychological lens. The small amount of psychologically centered research on PCOS indicates overall trends of connections between PCOS and gender discomfort. The central goal of this study is to further investigate potential connections between PCOS and gendered norms and experiences. Due to the lack of background research, this is primarily an exploratory study. This study is a mixed method analysis combining survey data with content analysis. Specifically, we are using the Conformity to Feminine Norms Inventory (CNFI) and five open-ended
questions. The CNFI is an 80-question Likert scale designed to measure the extent of compliance to traits socially associated with femininity. The open-ended questions relate to self-interpretation of gender, social interpretation of gender, specific PCOS symptomatologies impact on gender, physical and emotional gender-related work, and the impact of medicalization on feelings of femininity of people with PCOS. Due to the unique participation criteria of having PCOS, we posted the survey to an online forum for people with the syndrome. We expect to find that people with PCOS will experience
lower levels of conformity to femininity and evidence of perceived negative experiences related to gender.