Threats to Female Entrepreneurship: Construction and Validation of an Assessment Scale

ABSTRACT Objective: this study aimed to develop and validate an instrument to identify the threats experienced by women entrepreneurs in Brazil. Proposal: the research proposes the construction of a reliable and valid scale that captures three core dimensions of threats: patriarchal threats, role conflict, and affective dimensions. The central thesis is that women entrepreneurs face systemic and psychosocial threats that can be reliably measured, analyzed, and addressed through structured scientific investigation. Theoretical approach: the study draws on stereotype threat theory, the typology of entrepreneurial threats, and the literature on gender and entrepreneurship. It combines theories of gender role conflict, patriarchal norms, and emotional labor to frame the experience of women entrepreneurs. Methods: the research used a mixed-methods approach. In the qualitative phase, a Delphi panel involving 25 experts (entrepreneurs and academics) validated construct semantics and clarity. In the quantitative phase, 302 responses from Brazilian women entrepreneurs were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and reliability tests. The instrument was structured using a five-point Likert scale. Results: the final instrument comprises 10 validated items across three dimensions. The EFA confirmed construct validity, with all items loading significantly on the expected factors. Cronbach’s alpha values exceeded 0.75 for all dimensions, indicating high internal consistency. Conclusions: the validated scale is a reliable tool to investigate threats faced by women entrepreneurs. It supports further research and interventions aimed at reducing gendered barriers in entrepreneurship.