Development and validation of the work conflicto appraisal scalet (WCAS) / Desarrollo y validación de la Escala de Valoración del Conflicto (WCAS)

BACKGROUND: In the context of cognitive appraisal, the Work Conflict Appraisal Scale (WCAS) was developed to assess work conflict in terms of threat and challenge. METHOD: In the first study, the factorial structure of the scale was tested using confirmatory factor analysis with a Spanish multi-occupational employee sample (N= 296). In the second study, we used multi-sampling confirmatory factor analysis (N= 815) to cross-validate the results. RESULTS: The analyses confirm the validity of the scale and are con-sistent with the tri-dimensional conflict classification. The findings support the distinction between the challenge and threat appraisals of work conflict, highlighting the importance of measuring these two types of appraisal separately. CONCLUSIONS: This scale is a valid and reliable instrument to measure conflict appraisal in organizations

ANTECEDENTES: en el contexto de la valoración cognitiva se ha desarrollado la escala de Evaluación del Conflicto en el Trabajo (WCAS) que permite evaluar el conflicto en términos de desafío y amenaza. MÉTODO: el Estudio 1 contó con 296 trabajadores con los que se puso a prueba la estructura factorial de la escala usando análisis factorial confirmatorio. En el Estudio 2, con 815 trabajadores, se realizó un análisis factorial confirmatorio multi-muestra, para la validación cruzada de los resultados. RESULTADOS: los análisis confirman la validez de la escala y son consistentes con la clasificación tridimensional del conflicto, apoyando la distinción entre evaluación del conflicto como desafío y como amenaza. Se subraya la importancia de medir estos dos tipos de valoración separadamente CONCLUSIONES: esta escala es un instrumento válido y fiable para medir la percepción de conflicto en las organizaciones

Development and validation of the Work Conflict Appraisal Scale (WCAS).

BACKGROUND: In the context of cognitive appraisal, the Work Conflict Appraisal Scale (WCAS) was developed to assess work conflict in terms of threat and challenge. METHOD: In the first study, the factorial structure of the scale was tested using confirmatory factor analysis with a Spanish multi-occupational employee sample (N= 296). In the sec-ond study, we used multi-sampling confirmatory factor analysis (N= 815) to cross-validate the results. RESULTS: The analyses confirm the validity of the scale and are con-sistent with the tri-dimensional conflict classification. The findings support the distinc-tion between the challenge and threat appraisals of work conflict, highlighting the im-portance of measuring these two types of appraisal separately. CONCLUSIONS: This scale is a valid and reliable instrument to measure conflict appraisal in organizations.

Teacher Support Resources, Need Satisfaction and Well-Being.

Based on Job Demands-Resources Model (JD-R), this study examines the relationships among teacher support resources, psychological need satisfaction, engagement and burnout in a sample of 282 Spanish secondary school teachers. Nine teacher psychological needs were identified based on the study of Bess and on the Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Self-report questionnaires were used to measure the constructs selected for this study and their interrelationships were examined by structural equation modeling. The results reveal a good model fit to the data (NNFI = .88; CFI = .90; GFI = .90; RMSEA = .061). The analyses indicate a positive and significant effect of latent variable Psychological Need Satisfaction on engagement (ß = .74, p < .05), and a negative and significant effect on burnout (ß = -.78, p ≤ .05). Furthermore, the results show the mediator role played by Psychological Need Satisfaction in the relationship between teacher support resources and both engagement and burnout (additional paths did not improve the model fit: Δχ2(2) = 2.428, p = .29). Finally, practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Teacher support resources, need satisfaction and well-being

Based on Job Demands-Resources Model (JD-R), this study examines the relationships among teacher support resources, psychological need satisfaction, engagement and burnout in a sample of 282 Spanish secondary school teachers. Nine teacher psychological needs were identified based on the study of Bess and on the Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Self-report questionnaires were used to measure the constructs selected for this study and their interrelationships were examined by structural equation modeling. The results reveal a good model fit to the data (NNFI = .88; CFI = .90; GFI = .90; RMSEA = .061). The analyses indicate a positive and significant effect of latent variable Psychological Need Satisfaction on engagement (β = .74, p < .05), and a negative and significant effect on burnout (β = -.78, p ≤ .05). Furthermore, the results show the mediator role played by Psychological Need Satisfaction in the relationship between teacher support resources and both engagement and burnout (additional paths did not improve the model fit: Δχ2(2) = 2.428, p = .29). Finally, practical implications of these findings are discussed (AU)

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El análisis factorial exploratorio de los ítems: una guía práctica, revisada y actualizada / Exploratory Item Factor Analysis: A practical guide revised and updated

El Análisis Factorial Exploratorio es una de las técnicas más usadas en el desarrollo, validación y adaptación de instrumentos de medida psicológicos. Su uso se extendió durante los años 60 y ha ido creciendo de forma exponencial al ritmo que el avance de la informática ha permitido. Los criterios empleados en su uso, como es natural, también han evolucionado. Pero los investigadores interesados en asuntos sustantivos que utilizan rutinariamente esta técnica permanecen en muchos casos ignorantes de todo ello. En las últimas décadas numerosos trabajos han denunciado esta situación. La necesidad de actualizar los criterios clásicos para incorporar aquellos más adecuados es una necesidad urgente para hacer investigación de calidad. En este trabajo se revisan los criterios clásicos y, según el caso, se sustituyen o se complementan con otros más actuales. El objetivo es ofrecer al investigador aplicado interesado una guía actualizada acerca de cómo realizar un Análisis Factorial Exploratorio consonante con la psicometría post-Little Jiffy. Esta revisión y la guía con las recomendaciones correspondientes se han articulado en cuatro grandes bloques: 1) el tipo de datos y la matriz de asociación, 2) el método de estimación de factores, 3) el número de factores a retener, y 4) el método de rotación y asignación de ítems. Al final del artículo hemos incluido una versión breve de la guía

Exploratory Factor analysis is one of the techniques used in the development, validation and adaptation of psychological measurement instruments. Its use spread during the 1960s and has been growing exponentially thanks to the advancement of information technology. The criteria used, of course, have also evolved. But the applied researchers, who use this technique as a routine, remain often ignorant of all this. In the last few decades numerous studies have denounced this situation. There is an urgent need to update the classic criteria. The incorporation of the most suitable criteria will improve the quality of our research. In this work we review the classic criteria and, depending on the case, we also propose current criteria to replace or complement the former. Our objective is to offer the interested applied researcher updated guidance on how to perform an Exploratory Item Factor Analysis, according to the "post-Little Jiffy" psychometrics. This review and the guide with the corresponding recommendations have been articulated in four large blocks: 1) the data type and the matrix of association, 2) the method of factor estimation, 3) the number of factors to be retained, and 4) the method of rotation and allocation of items. An abridged version of the complete guide is provided at the end of the article

Desarrollo y validación del Cuestionario de Personalidad Vocacional Adaptativa: un cuestionario para analizar la conducta vocacional de estudiantes universitarios / Adaptive Vocational Personality Questionnaire Development and Validation of an adaptive personality questionnaire to analyze the vocational behavior of university students

Este estudio presenta el desarrollo y validación de un instrumento para evaluar la personalidad adaptado al ámbito vocacional: el cuestionario de Personalidad Vocacional Adaptativa (CPVA). 2160 estudiantes universitarios de los últimos años de carrera respondieron a la versión preliminar del cuestionario. Sus respuestas fueron sometidas a un conjunto de análisis factoriales confirmatorios siguiendo un diseño de validación cruzada: en la muestra exploratoria (n=879) identificamos el modelo que mejor ajustaba los datos. Como esperábamos, el modelo presenta dos factores relacionados pero separados: Características Adaptativas de personalidad (CA) con 9 ítems y Características no Adaptativas de personalidad (CNA) con 11 ítems. En la muestra de validación (n=932) comprobamos si ese modelo presentaba un buen ajuste a este nuevo conjunto de datos. Los resultados así lo indicaron, apoyando la validez de esta estructura bifactorial. La fiabilidad de las dos escalas, CA y CNA es adecuada, así como su capacidad para pronosticar el criterio empleado, conducta proactiva en la búsqueda de trabajo. Este artículo incluye el cuestionario, las claves de corrección y los baremos necesarios para su uso (AU)

This study presents a personality evaluation instrument adapted to the vocational setting: the Adaptive Vocational Personality Questionnaire (AVPQ). The questionnaire was developed and tested in a sample of 2160 university students in the final years of their degree programs. The purpose of the study is to validate the questionnaire, providing evidence about its internal structure and its usefulness for predicting scores on a criterion scale. A confirmatory factor analysis combined with a cross-validation design was used: the exploratory sample (n = 879) helped to identify the model with the factorial structure that best fit the relations among the items. As expected, this model had two related but clearly separate factors: Adaptive Personality Characteristics (AC) with 9 items and Non-Adaptive Personality Characteristics (NAC) with 11 items. The validation sample (n =932) was used to test the generalization capacity of this model, which was satisfactory and showed a good reliability index. Regarding its usefulness in predicting proactive job-search behaviors, the results were also satisfactory. The questionnaire and keys are provided, as well as the criteria for calculating the scores on each scale and on the entire questionnaire (AU)

Medición de constructos bipolares mediante escalas tipo Likert: ¿Por qué aparecen factores monopolares? / Measuring bipolar constructs but finding monopolar factors

La estructura de muchos constructos bipolares se estudia habitualmente mediante escalas contrabalanceadas tipo Likert. Las respuestas a estas escalas son sometidas a análisis factorial, pero con frecuencia, la estructura factorial descubierta no es bipolar, sino que cada dimensión supuestamente bipolar se descompone en dos factores monopolares. Esta evidencia ha generado un modelo monopolar del afecto. Recientemente, Van Schuur y colaboradores (1994, 1995) han recuperado una explicación ciertamente revolucionaria que argumenta que la emergencia de factores monopolares se debe a que estos datos se ajustan al modelo de desplegamiento y no al modelo de análisis factorial. En este artículo se propone y contrasta una nueva explicación: la reinterpretación del modelo bipolar bajo la "hipótesis de las dos mitades". Bajo esta hipótesis las dimensiones bipolares se desdoblan en dos factores monopolares porque los ítems de las escalas empleadas no miden el continuo bipolar pretendido sino una sus mitades o polos, tal como muestra el análisis factorial. Desde esta perspectiva la aparición de factores monopolares déiblmente relacionados no invalida la bipolaridad de la dimensión subyacente. Los resultados obtenidos en una muestra de 298 sujetos a la que se aplicaron las escalas de bienestar afectivo de Warr (1990) apoyan esta explicación (AU)

The structure of bipolar constructs is often studied using counterbalanced Likert-type scales. Answers obtained by means of these scales have been submitted to factor analysis, and contrary to expectations, the results frequently have shown that the obtained factor structure is not bipolar, but made up by two monopolar factors. Recently, Van Shuur and colleagues (1994, 1995) proposed an explanation for this phenomenon, arguing that the emergence of monopolar factors is due to the fact that this kind of data fits to the unfolding model, not to the factor analysis model. This paper presents and tests a new explanation: the reformulation of the bipolar model under the «two halves hypothesis». Under this hypothesis the bipolar dimensions split into two monopolar factors because the items of counterbalanced Likert-type scales do not measure the intended bipolar dimension. On the contrary, they only are indicators of one half of the dimension. From this point of view the emergence of monopolar factors barely related do not invalidate the bipolarity of the underlying dimension. The empirical evidence presented here has been obtained in a sample of 298 subjects who responded to the Warr’s (1990) scales of affective well-being. This evidence supports the explanation offered in this paper (AU)