Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Feedback Environment Scale (FES-J) for workers

The study objectives were to develop a Japanese-language version of the Feedback Environment Scale (FES) that is used, mainly in the West, as a multifaceted instrument to evaluate the workplace feedback environment, and to test its reliability and validity in the Japanese workplace. The FES (comprising Supervisor and Coworker FES) was translated into Japanese and reviewed through a back-translation process involving the original author to produce the FES-J. Data on 416 individuals working at Japanese companies obtained through internet research were used to investigate FES-J reliability (internal consistency) and validity (confirmatory factor analysis and correlation analysis). Cronbach's alpha coefficients were 0.68-0.92 for the Supervisor FES-J and 0.66-0.88 for the Coworker FES-J. The AIC scores and fit indices were χ²(417)=1,396.655 (p<0.001), AIC=1,618.655, CFI=0.900 and RMSEA=0.075 for the Supervisor FES-J and χ²(391)=1,859.302 (p<0.001), AIC=2,069.302, CFI=0.839 and RMSEA=0.095 for the Coworker FES-J. Correlation analysis showed a positive relationship between both FES-J scales and feedback-seeking behavior, LMX/TMX, job satisfaction, and work engagement, and a negative relationship with irritability, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. This study showed a certain level of reliability and validity for the FES-J, suggesting that this is an appropriate scale for evaluating the feedback environment in Japanese workplaces.