Analysis

The CAGES consists of a series of statements that cover various domains of gender expression, such as:
Comfort with Gender Expression: Refers to how comfortable an individual feels with expressing their gender identity, regardless of social expectations.
Conformity with Gender Social Norms: Examines the extent to which an individual conforms to traditional beliefs about what it means to be male or female.
Self-Perception and Self-Expression: Focuses on how individuals perceive and express themselves in relation to their gender.
Participants are asked to respond to items using a Likert scale, usually ranging from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very much), to indicate the degree of their agreement with the statements.

Objective

The objective of CAGES is to provide a detailed picture of how individuals experience their gender expression and how they interact with social expectations surrounding gender. By understanding these dimensions, the scale can help researchers and clinical professionals identify the challenges faced by individuals who do not conform to traditional gender norms and support positive gender identity and psychological well-being.

Calibration

The calibration of CAGES is carried out by recording responses to the various statements and summarizing scores for each domain. High scores on comfort with gender expression indicate that the individual feels more at ease with nontraditional gender expression, whereas high scores on conformity indicate greater adherence to social expectations.

Bibliography

Although CAGES may not have as extensive a literature base as some other psychometric tools, related studies on gender expression and conformity include:
Levitt, H. M., & Ippolito, M. R. (2014). Being transgender: Navigating a binary world. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 61(2), 162-175.
Egan, S. K., & Perry, D. G. (2001). Gender identity: A multidimensional analysis with implications for psychosocial adjustment. Developmental Psychology, 37(4), 451-463.
Spence, J. T. (1993). Gender-related traits and gender ideology: Evidence for a multifactorial theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64(4), 624-635.