The Relationship between Conformity to Feminine Norms and Perceptions of Gender Discrimination with Quality of Life of Iranian Women: The Mediating Role of Self-silencing

In recent decades, studies related to women's health and quality of life have emphasized the notable role of feminine norms and gender discrimination. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of self-silencing components in the relationship between conformity to feminine norms and perception of gender discrimination with the quality of life of employed and student women aged 18 to 40. The sample included 687 women in Kazerun who participated in this study virtually by responding to the questionnaire link. This link is composed of items related to the four tools: Conformity to Feminine Norms Inventory (Parent and Moradi, 2010), Schedule of Sexist Events (Klonoff and Landrin, 1995), the Silencing the Self Scale (Jack and Dale, 1992), and WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire- Brief form. The analysis results, performed using structural equation modeling in AMOS-22, showed that conformity to feminine norms and perceptions of gender discrimination, in addition to direct impact, indirectly and through self-silencing components, also affected various aspects of women's quality of life. These results showed that the emphasis of the WHO on the necessity of attention to women's understanding of social discrimination and gender norms is a serious matter and should be considered for Iranian women.