Construction and Validation of Workplace Harassment Strains Scale

Article Information

Title: Construction and Validation of Workplace Harassment Strains Scale

Authors: Ambreen Anjum, Shahbaz Sharif, Sohail Younus, Rashid Mumtaz

Journal: Journal of Asian Development Studies

HEC Recognition History

Category	From	To
Y	2024-10-01	2025-12-31
Y	2023-07-01	2024-09-30

Publisher: Centre for Research on Poverty and Attitude pvt ltd

Country: Pakistan

Year: 2024

Volume: 13

Issue: 1

Language: English

DOI: 10.62345/jads.2024.13.1.25

Keywords: job satisfactionWorkplace HarassmentPsychological problemsStrains

Abstract

This study was conducted to develop a psychometrically sound tool to measure strains of workplace harassment. For this purpose, the present study was completed in four phases. Phase I was composed of the development of items. Exploratory factor analysis on a sample of 200 teachers with an age range twenty four to sixty (M=32.83, SD=7.04) was completed in Phase II. Findings showed 5 well-defined factors. Phase III was comprised of CFA. The sample for confirmatory analysis was taken from seven universities. The purposive sampling was used to gather a sample. Results confirmed a good fit model. In Phase IV, validity analysis (both convergent and discriminant) of the newly developed workplace bullying strains scale was conducted. The value of the alpha coefficient of the workplace bullying strains scale is .94. Furthermore, discriminant validity - .61, and convergent validity .76 confirmed that the workplace bullying strains scale is a valid and reliable measure with p&lt;.01. Future research may be conducted to quantify the measurement scale developed by the authors&gt;&lt;.01. Future research may be conducted to quantify the measurement scale developed by the authors.

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Research Objective

To develop a psychometrically sound tool to measure the strains resulting from workplace harassment.

Methodology

The study employed a four-phase approach:
Phase I: Item development (literature review, interviews with teachers and executives) and expert validation (psychologists) followed by a pilot study.
Phase II: Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) on a sample of 200 teachers to establish the scale's psychometric properties and internal consistency.
Phase III: Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) on a sample of 400 teachers to confirm the factor structure identified in EFA.
Phase IV: Validity analysis, including convergent and discriminant validity, using the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) on a sample of 50 employees.

Methodology Flowchart

                        graph TD
    A["Phase I: Item Development & Validation"] --> B["Phase II: Exploratory Factor Analysis"];
    B --> C["Phase III: Confirmatory Factor Analysis"];
    C --> D["Phase IV: Validity Analysis"];
    D --> E["Scale Developed & Validated"];

Discussion

The study successfully developed a comprehensive and psychometrically sound scale for measuring workplace harassment strains, addressing a gap in existing measurement tools. The five identified factors provide a multidimensional understanding of the consequences of harassment. The scale's good fit indices, high reliability, and confirmed convergent and discriminant validity support its utility. The findings have implications for administrators in promoting harassment-free environments and for clinicians in assessing and treating harassment-related issues.

Key Findings

The developed Workplace Harassment Strains Scale consists of 32 items across five well-defined factors: psychological strains, interpersonal strains, physical strains, job strains, and behavioral strains.
The scale demonstrated good model fit in CFA.
The scale showed high reliability with an alpha coefficient of .94.
Convergent validity was confirmed by a significant positive correlation with the Job Stress Scale (r=.76).
Discriminant validity was confirmed by a significant negative correlation with the Job Satisfaction Scale (r=-.62).

Conclusion

The Workplace Harassment Strains Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for comprehensively measuring the harmful consequences of workplace harassment. Its application can aid in addressing these strains and enhancing work efficiency, particularly in higher education institutions. Further validation through quantitative, cross-sectional, or longitudinal studies is recommended.

Fact Check

- The study was conducted in four phases. (Confirmed in Methodology)
- The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed on a sample of 200 teachers. (Confirmed in Phase II Sample)
- The final Workplace Harassment Strains Scale consists of 32 items. (Confirmed in Results and Discussion)

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