House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio gestures while speaking during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014. Boehner said Thursday it will be difficult to pass immigration legislation this year, dimming prospects for one of President Barack Obama's top domestic priorities. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

A majority of Americans -- especially female ones -- think the Republican Party is out of touch with women, according to a poll released Friday by CNN/ORC.

Fifty-five percent of Americans, including 59 percent of women, say the GOP generally does not understand the problems and concerns of women.

While most Republican women gave their party positive marks, most women identifying as independents thought the party was out of touch.

Democrats fared better on the issue, with just a third of Americans, and 35 percent of women, saying the party didn't understand their concerns.

GOP leaders have long been cognizant of the need to improve their image with female voters, with some House and Senate candidates undergoing training this year to better communicate with women. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in December that his fellow Republicans were making progress, but that "there are a lot more females in the Democratic caucus than there are in the Republican conference. And some of our members just aren't as sensitive as they ought to be."