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Prior studies have identified that mentally healthy people tend to share common characteristics and common ways of coping with stressful life events; they show similar patterns of behavior and more flexible and adaptive social roles. The objectives of the study are to assess the influence of personality factors on gender roles and mental health, to identify personality patterns along with gender roles, and to assess the influence of the patterns identified on mental health. Data collection from a sample of 795 university students was carried out during 2019. Multilevel analyses tested the associations between gender (BSRI) and personality (TIPI) and between personality and health -mental health (GHQ12) and wellbeing (MHC-SF). Cluster analysis explored tendencies of gender and personality, and each cluster showed different health patterns. Individuals with high scores in extraversion, conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness to experience, and very high agreeableness score, as well as high femininity and masculinity scores, presented a decreased psychological morbidity (β= -3.62, 0.57 (SE), p<0.001) and an increased well-being (β=7.68, 1.15 (SE), p<0.001). The most relevant indicators of mental health were identified in androgynous individuals, those individuals with high scores in masculinity and femininity, as well as high scores in extraversion, openness to experience, emotional stability, agreeableness, and conscientiousness., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

In light of the impact of gender roles on health, the aims of the present study are (1) to assess the associations between femininity/masculinity and gender typologies, and health indicators (mental health, wellbeing, and self-perceived health) and (2) to identify patterns of gender roles and health indicators, thus exploring new tendencies in gender and health in Spanish university students in the framework of the androgyny model. The sample was made up of 795 university students from Madrid and Toledo. Data collection was completed during 2019. Measures of self-rated health, mental health (GHQ12), and wellbeing (MHC-SF) were considered as health indicators, while the Bem Sex Roles Inventory (BSRI) was used to measure gender roles. Multilevel analysis was employed to value associations between masculinity and femininity and gender typologies with self-rated health, mental health, and wellbeing. Furthermore, cluster analysis was used to explore general tendencies in gender roles and health, while also considering biological sex composition. The best predictor of mental health was found to be masculinity, rather than femininity. Cluster analysis showed a dominance of androgyny and undifferentiated typologies with proportionally similar biological sex composition. Results confirmed the androgyny model, highlighting the role of androgyny and masculinity as protective factors of mental health. Cluster analysis suggested less gender-typed individuals and more flexible ways of adapting to gender roles in university students. Health systems, governments, and public institutions must take these results into account when designing health prevention and intervention policies. Social agents, educators, and the media must also collaborate in the achievement of equalitarian gender roles, which could result in a minimization of gender-related health differences.