Psychometric Investigation of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-17 Using the Rasch Measurement Model

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Organizational Behavior
• Human Resources

Background:

• Work engagement is crucial for organizational and individual outcomes.
• The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-17 (UWES-17) is widely used globally.
• Limited psychometric evidence exists for the UWES-17's validity in Korea.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the psychometric validity of the UWES-17 in a Korean context.
• To examine content, substantive, structural, and generalizability validity using the Rasch model.

Main Methods:

• Rasch measurement model applied to UWES-17 data from a Korean sample.
• Analysis included item fitness, person-item maps, Rasch factor analysis, and differential item functioning (DIF).

Main Results:

• Two items require reconsideration for content validity.
• The UWES-17 did not adequately reflect work engagement levels in the Korean sample (substantive validity).
• Rasch factor analysis indicated a three-subscale structure.
• Only 9 out of 17 items showed adequate DIF between genders.

Conclusions:

• The UWES-17 requires significant revisions to be a valid measure of work engagement in Korea.
• Further research is needed to develop culturally adapted or alternative measures.