Comparative psychometric review of the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised in a unionized U.S. public sector workforce

Article type: Research Article

Authors: El Ghaziri, Mazen^{a; *} | Storr, Carla L.^b | Simons, Shellie R.^a | Trinkoff, Alison M.^b | McPhaul, Kathleen M.^c | London, Matthew^{a; d} | Johnson, Jeffrey V.^b | Lipscomb, Jane^b

Affiliations: [a] University of Massachusetts Lowell, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, Solomont School of Nursing, Lowell, MA, USA | [b] University of Maryland, School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA | [c] Smithsonian Institution, Occupational Health Service, Washington, DC, USA | [d] NorthEast New York Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health, Albany, NY, USA

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Mazen El Ghaziri, Susan and Alan Solomont School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 113 Wilder Street, Office 361, Lowell, MA 01854-5126, USA. Tel.: +1 978 934 6839; Fax: +1 978 934 2015; E-mail: mazen_elghaziri@uml.edu.

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Workplace violence is a global problem that includes actions collectively defined as bullying as perpetrated by a work colleague. PURPOSE:Two distinct studies were conducted to assess the feasibility of using an abridged 6-item scale within the 21- item Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R) designed to assess workplace bullying. METHODS:The pilot study was a psychometric review of the 21-item NAQ-R, and the main study was conducted to determine the reliability and the validity of using a 6-item version. Cronbach’s alpha assessed the internal consistency of the two versions of the NAQ-R. Validity was assessed using logistic regression with theoretically related constructs with a pilot study (n = 420) using the 21-item scale, followed by the main study (n = 11,874) using the 6-item version. RESULTS:Both the pilot study (21-item)and the main study (6-item) versions of the NAQ-R demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha 0.93–0.86, respectively). Similar to the 21-item, the 6-item version had a significant impact on the intent to remain on the job, being personally affected, and supported the protective role of the organizational climate against exposure to negative acts. CONCLUSION:This study supports using the 6-item NAQ-R, which can reduce respondent burden and streamline data gathering and analysis.

Keywords: Bullying, negative acts questionnaire-revised, psychometrics, public sector, measurement

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-182851

Journal: Work, vol. 62, no. 1, pp. 161-171, 2019