Translation and Validation of the Self-Assessment Leadership Instrument (SALI) for the Portuguese Cultural Context: A...

Leadership is a complex and multidimensional concept that has been widely studied in the field of nursing, given its proven influence on the nursing practice environment, and on the quality and safety of the care provided. Identifying which leadership skills are necessary for effective leadership, and understanding how they can be developed, is extremely important, as, without them, it is difficult for nursing leaders to maintain favourable nursing practice environments. In this context, we highlight the relevance of the Self-Assessment Leadership Instrument (SALI), which was developed by Bonnie Smola with the aim of specifically measuring leadership behaviours in nurses and nursing students. In this study, the SALI was translated, cross-culturally adapted, and validated for the Portuguese cultural context.

This study aimed to (1) culturally and linguistically adapt the SALI to Portuguese and (2) validate its psychometric properties, resulting in a Portuguese version of the instrument.

A cross-sectional quantitative methodological study was carried out. The scale was translated and adapted transculturally through a rigorous process and applied to the target population of two nursing colleges, with a total of 1590 nursing students.

The Portuguese version maintains the 40 items of the original scale. Internal consistency proved to be high, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.95 for the total scale. Content validity was ensured during the initial stages of the translation and cross-cultural adaptation process. Construct validity was analysed using factor analysis, which identified the four leadership dimensions assessed, explaining 49.39% of the total variance: Critical and Strategic Thinking; Teamwork Skills; Emotional Intelligence; and Communication and Relational Influence. The final factor model achieved showed very good fit indices, which reinforced the underlying theoretical structure.

The PT-SALI proved to be a valid, reliable, and robust tool for assessing, monitoring, and promoting the development of leadership competences in the Portuguese cultural context, with applicability in undergraduate and postgraduate contexts.