Factor validation of an instrument measuring group power.

Few publications have reported empirical findings regarding the measurement of nursing group power. This article reports the confirmatory factor analyses of the Sieloff-King Assessment of Group Power Within Organizations (SKAGPO) for instrument and middle-range theory development. Secondary analyses were conducted using cross-sectional data collected in 1999. The target population of the initial research was the chief nurse executives (CNEs) of all hospitals within the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii). A sample of 600 hospitals from across the United States was selected through a stratified random sampling process. A total of 350 executives comprised the final sample. Second-order confirmatory 8-factor analysis revealed factor loadings ranging from .43 to .89. The overall fit of the proposed model was: X2 = 1,360, df = 586, p < .00, GFI = .82, CFI = .86, and RMSEA = .06, indicating an acceptable fit with the data. Statistical support was found for the proposed model with the subsequent development of an alternate model that better fit the data. The study results indicated that the SKAGPO has acceptable psychometric properties.