The purpose of this study was to develop a measure of male identity based on Wade's (1998) theory of male reference group identity dependence. The construct was operationalized in the form of a self-report instrument, the Reference Group Identity Dependence Scale (RGIDS), that assesses feelings of psychological relatedness to other males. A total of 344 undergraduate males from a large state university completed the RGIDS. Construct validity was evaluated by relating the RGIDS to measures of ego identity, gender role conflict, social anxiety, self-esteem, and anxiety and depression symptomatology. Results of the factor analysis indicated that a four-factor structure corresponded to three hypothesized levels of the construct. The four subscales of the RGIDS demonstrated sound internal consistency, and correlations found between the RGIDS and the other measures in the study indicated preliminary support for validity of the construct. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for the theory and future research on men and masculinity.
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