Bram P I Fleuren1, Ludovic G P M van Amelsvoort2, Fred R H Zijlstra3, Andries de Grip4, IJmert Kant2. 1. Department of Work- and Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: bram.fleuren@maastrichtuniversity.nl. 2. Department of Epidemiology, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. 3. Department of Work- and Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. 4. Research Center for Education and the Labor Market, School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; IZA, Bonn, Germany; Netspar, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Constructs capturing health or functioning can have reflective and/or formative measurement models. Although a construct's measurement model has extensive implications on the construction, validation, and use of a measurement instrument, measurement models are frequently wrongly or not explicitly specified. As this is likely due to a lack of guidelines, this study uses sustainable employability as an example to demonstrate a) the applicability of an adapted checklist for establishing a construct's measurement model; and b) the use of structural equation modeling to handle formative constructs. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: First, the checklist is applied to sustainable employability to establish its measurement model. Second, using observational self-report data from 2,544 employees, structural equation models are estimated to evaluate the structural and criterion validity of sustainable employability as a formative construct. RESULTS: The checklist demonstrates strong applicability, identifying sustainable employability as a formative construct. Model fit indices (Comparative fit indices ≥ 0.932, Tucker-Lewis indices ≥ 0.925, root mean square errors of approximation ≤ 0.034) suggest the formative measurement model for sustainable employability is valid. CONCLUSION: The checklist and structural equation modeling facilitate handling formative constructs. By establishing sustainable employability as a formative construct, individuals' long term ability to function at work can be more adequately studied and intervened upon.
OBJECTIVES: Constructs capturing health or functioning can have reflective and/or formative measurement models. Although a construct's measurement model has extensive implications on the construction, validation, and use of a measurement instrument, measurement models are frequently wrongly or not explicitly specified. As this is likely due to a lack of guidelines, this study uses sustainable employability as an example to demonstrate a) the applicability of an adapted checklist for establishing a construct's measurement model; and b) the use of structural equation modeling to handle formative constructs. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: First, the checklist is applied to sustainable employability to establish its measurement model. Second, using observational self-report data from 2,544 employees, structural equation models are estimated to evaluate the structural and criterion validity of sustainable employability as a formative construct. RESULTS: The checklist demonstrates strong applicability, identifying sustainable employability as a formative construct. Model fit indices (Comparative fit indices ≥ 0.932, Tucker-Lewis indices ≥ 0.925, root mean square errors of approximation ≤ 0.034) suggest the formative measurement model for sustainable employability is valid. CONCLUSION: The checklist and structural equation modeling facilitate handling formative constructs. By establishing sustainable employability as a formative construct, individuals' long term ability to function at work can be more adequately studied and intervened upon.
Authors: Silvia Testa; Daniela Di Cuonzo; Giuliana Ritorto; Laura Fanchini; Sara Bustreo; Patrizia Racca; Rosalba Rosato Journal: Health Qual Life Outcomes Date: 2021-01-06 Impact factor: 3.186