Relationships among androgyny, self-esteem, and trait coping style of Chinese university students

Chinese university undergraduates’ personality type was investigated from the perspective of androgyny as the ideal gender role type. Based on Bem’s 4 gender role types (1974), 434 undergraduates were classified as masculine, feminine, androgynous, or undifferentiated. The relationships among personality type, trait coping style, and level of self-esteem were examined. Results showed that the students were mainly in two gender role types, androgynous and undifferentiated. Gender and grade had a significant impact on the distribution of gender role types. The androgynous group had the highest self-esteem level and tended to use positive coping strategies. Androgyny was assessed as an ideal gender role type, relative to the three other types.