Validation of the work excitement and the work locus of control instruments.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop and test psychometrically two self-report instruments designed to measure work excitement and work locus of control. Content validity was assessed by a panel of experts. Construct validity and internal consistency were examined through a two phase field test using 104 and 267 nurses, respectively. Results suggest that the Work Excitement Instrument (WEXCIT) and the Work Locus of Control Instrument (WLOC) are valid and reliable measures of work excitement and work locus of control. The four main questions examined from the WEXCIT deal with a general sense of work excitement, frustration with work, interest in work, and excitement with certain aspects of work. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients were above.90 for each of the individual scales during both phases of the study. Each of the scales produced three to four conceptually relevant factors and over 50 percent of the total variance for the items in each of the scales was explained by the factors. The WLOC is divided into two separate scales, internal-external dimension and gender discrimination. The 31 items from the internal-external dimension represent the conceptual groupings of powerful others, personal control, political control and control ideology, explaining 39.3 percent of the total variance and having a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of.87. The gender discrimination scale consists of 19 items that factor into militancy or collective action, system blame, individual blame, individual action and discrimination modifiability, explaining 51 percent of the total variance and having a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of.66. Additionally, modest correlations were found to exist between work excitement and work locus of control, lending further support for the proposed model of work excitement.