The present study investigated the relation between Jack's 1991 concept of “silencing the self” and Downing and Roush's 1985 stage model of feminist identity development among college women. Analysis indicated that passively accepting women's oppression and adhering to traditional gender roles in interpersonal relationships (Passive Acceptance) was related to silencing the self. These results have important implications for silencing the self and women's development. Specifically, these findings may encourage many young women to acknowledge women's oppression and question the traditional gender roles that promote submission and thereby decrease the potential risk for self-silencing.
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