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Dai Y, Qin S, Tang YM, Hou J. Fostering employees' innovative behavior: The importance of proactive personality and work-related flow. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2024; 246:104278. [PMID: 38670040 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Employees' innovative behaviors (EIB) play a crucial role in driving enterprises' innovation and enabling them to adapt to the complex business environment. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of proactive personality in EIB, whereby a mediating effect of work-related flow is proposed in this relationship. The moderating effect of organizational innovation climate is also examined on the indirect of proactive personality on EIB through work-related flow. With purposive sampling, a questionnaire survey was conducted on front-line employees of two digital cultural and creative industrial parks in Southwest China. A total of 279 valid questionnaires were used for hypothesis verification. The findings indicate that employees' proactive personality has a significant positive effect on EIB. Employees with a proactive personality are more likely to experience work-related flow, which in turn promotes their EIB. However, we did not find evidence of the organizational innovation climate moderating the relationship between proactive personality and EIB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuping Dai
- School of Economics and Management, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, Hebei, PR China; Faculty of Business, City University of Macau, Macau.
| | - Shuwen Qin
- School of Economics and Management, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, Hebei, PR China
| | - Yuk Ming Tang
- School of Business, Shenzhen Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, PR China; Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
| | - Jie Hou
- School of Languages and Communication Studies, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, PR China; School of Foreign Languages, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, Anhui Province, PR China.
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Shen ZM, Wang YY, Cai YM, Li AQ, Zhang YX, Chen HJ, Jiang YY, Tan J. Thriving at work as a mediator of the relationship between psychological resilience and the work performance of clinical nurses. BMC Nurs 2024; 23:194. [PMID: 38520023 PMCID: PMC10958833 DOI: 10.1186/s12912-024-01705-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the relationship between psychological resilience, thriving at work, and work performance among nurses, as well as analyse the mediating role of thriving at work in the relationship between psychological resilience and the work performance of nurses. The findings are intended to serve as a reference for nursing managers to design tailored work performance intervention programs. METHOD Using convenience sampling, 308 clinical nurses were selected from a tertiary hospital in Changsha City, Hunan Province, China, from February to April 2023. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Thriving at Work Scale, and the Work Performance Scale were employed for the questionnaire survey. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between psychological resilience, thriving at work and work performance. The SPSS 26.0 software's 'Process' plugin was utilised for mediation effect analysis. RESULTS Significantly positive correlations were found between psychological resilience and thriving at work (r = 0.806, P < 0.01), thriving at work and work performance (r = 0.571, P < 0.01) as well as psychological resilience and work performance (r = 0.572, P < 0.01). Psychological resilience significantly predicted work performance positively (β = 0.558, t = 11.165, P < 0.01), and this prediction remained significant when thriving at work (the mediating variable), was introduced (β = 0.371, t = 4.772, P < 0.01). Psychological resilience significantly predicted thriving at work positively (β = 0.731, t = 20.779, P < 0.01), and thriving at work significantly predicted work performance positively (β = 0.256, t = 3.105, P < 0.05). The mediating effect size of thriving at work between psychological resilience and work performance was 33.49% (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Thriving at work plays a partial mediating role between psychological resilience and work performance. The level of work performance among clinical nurses was relatively high. Nursing managers can enhance thriving at work by fostering psychological resilience among clinical nurses, thereby further improving their work performance to ensure high-quality and efficient nursing care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhou-Min Shen
- Department of Nursing, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410005, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang-Yang Wang
- Department of Nursing, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410005, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi-Min Cai
- Department of Nursing, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410005, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ai-Qun Li
- Department of Nursing, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu-Xin Zhang
- Department of Nursing, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Jiao Chen
- Department of Nursing, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410012, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Jiang
- Department of Nursing, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Juan Tan
- Department of Nursing, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410005, People's Republic of China
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Liao Y, Wei W, Fang S, Wu L, Gao J, Wu X, Huang L, Li C, Li Y. Work immersion and perceived stress among clinical nurses: a latent profile analysis and moderated mediation analysis. BMC Nurs 2023; 22:346. [PMID: 37784078 PMCID: PMC10546695 DOI: 10.1186/s12912-023-01467-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exploration of the relationship between individual work immersion and perceived stress is critical for clinical nurses' effective psychological interventions and human resource management, as well as to alleviate nursing staff shortages. In order to further dissect the influencing factors of perceived stress among nursing staff, our study introduces the concepts of perfectionism and social connectedness to analyze the specific pathways that influence perceived stress in terms of an individual's intrinsic and external personality traits. This study provides relevant recommendations for the development of stress management measures for nursing staff. METHODS This was a cross-sectional survey. 993 registered clinical nurses were included from four hospitals in Guangzhou through a convenience sampling method. Clinical nurses' work immersion, perceived stress, perfectionism, and social connectedness were investigated using questionnaires based on latent profile analysis. The relationships between variables were analyzed using t-tests, analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation analysis, latent profile analysis, and moderated mediation analysis. RESULTS The results showed that (1) general influences on nurses' perceived stress included only child, labor relationship, labor allowance, and family support; (2) nurses' work immersion contained four subgroups: lowest (12.6%), medium-low (39.8%), medium-high (39.9%), and highest (7.7%); (3) positive and negative perfectionism played a mediating role between the association of work immersion and perceived stress; (4) social connectedness played a moderating role in the mediation model of perceived stress. CONCLUSIONS Work immersion, perfectionism, and social connectedness have an important impact on clinical nurses' perceived stress. Nursing managers or leaders should pay attention to the differences of individual work immersion status, adopt reasonable stress management strategies, accurately identify positive perfectionist groups and strengthen the relationship between groups, so as to ensure the quality of nursing care, and reduce nursing turnover and alleviate the problem of staff shortage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Liao
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, China
| | - Wanting Wei
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, China
| | - Sujuan Fang
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510120, China
| | - Lihua Wu
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, China
| | - Jing Gao
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, China
| | - Xinyu Wu
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, China
| | - Lijun Huang
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, China
| | - Chun Li
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, China.
| | - Yu Li
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, China.
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Mao Y, Kang X, Lai Y, Yu J, Deng X, Zhai Y, Kong F, Ma J, Bonaiuto F. Authentic leadership and employee resilience during the COVID-19: The role of flow, organizational identification, and trust. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 42:1-16. [PMID: 36713621 PMCID: PMC9869839 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-04148-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The present work investigated fundamental mediating mechanisms (i.e., flow experience, organizational identification, and trust), underlining the impact of authentic leadership on employee resilience during the turbulent COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 901 frontline employees working in a construction engineering company in China participated in this study. They were asked to respond to a battery of questionnaires comprising Trust Scale (affective-based, cognitive-based, and competence-based), Flow Proneness Questionnaire (FPQ), Organizational Identification Scale, Authentic Leadership Questionnaire, and Employee Resilience Scale. Results of structural equation modeling indicated that: (1) Authentic leadership positively predicted employee resilience in the COVID-19 pandemic, directly and indirectly. (2) As for the indirect relationship, two parallel mediation effects and one chain mediation were detected: employees' flow at work and organizational identification respectively and dependently mediated the relationship between authentic leadership and employee resilience; trust and organizational identification played as a chain mediation role within authentic leadership-employee resilience association. The study provides empirical evidence for organizations' resilience-building and leadership training programs. Findings also contribute to the literature by facilitating flow intervention, promoting organizational identification and trust to enhance the effect of authentic leadership in promoting positive psychological functioning of employee resilience. Limitations with respect to future research directions were also outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhui Mao
- Institute of Applied Psychology, Psychological Research and Counseling Center, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031 Chengdu, China
- Department of Psychology and Behavior Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310028 Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinyue Kang
- School of Economics and Management, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031 Chengdu, China
| | - Yao Lai
- School of Economics and Management, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031 Chengdu, China
| | - Junkai Yu
- School of Economics and Management, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031 Chengdu, China
| | - Xuyuan Deng
- School of Economics and Management, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031 Chengdu, China
| | - Yuxi Zhai
- Southwest Branch, China Railway Construction Group Co., Ltd, 610031 Chengdu, China
| | - Feng Kong
- Department of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, 710062 Xian, China
| | - Jianhong Ma
- Department of Psychology and Behavior Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310028 Hangzhou, China
| | - Flavia Bonaiuto
- Facoltà di Economia, Universitas Mercatorum, 00186 Roma, Italy
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Gegenfurtner A. Bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling: A meta-analytic review of model fit. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1037111. [PMID: 36389589 PMCID: PMC9643583 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1037111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Multivariate behavioral research often focuses on latent constructs-such as motivation, self-concept, or wellbeing-that cannot be directly observed. Typically, these latent constructs are measured with items in standardized instruments. To test the factorial structure and multidimensionality of latent constructs in educational and psychological research, Morin et al. (2016a) proposed bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (B-ESEM). This meta-analytic review (158 studies, k = 308, N = 778,624) aimed to estimate the extent to which B-ESEM model fit differs from other model representations, including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), hierarchical CFA, hierarchical ESEM, and bifactor-CFA. The study domains included learning and instruction, motivation and emotion, self and identity, depression and wellbeing, and interpersonal relations. The meta-analyzed fit indices were the χ2 /df ratio, the comparative fit index (CFI), the Tucker-Lewis index (TLI), the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), and the standardized root mean squared residual (SRMR). The findings of this meta-analytic review indicate that the B-ESEM model fit is superior to the fit of reference models. Furthermore, the results suggest that model fit is sensitive to sample size, item number, and the number of specific and general factors in a model.
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Shreffler J, Huecker M. Physician Flow at Work: Examining Work Absorption, Clinical Flow, Work Fulfillment, and Flow Thieves. Workplace Health Saf 2022; 70:484-491. [PMID: 35766249 DOI: 10.1177/21650799221093772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The experience of "flow" at work correlates with positive job outputs and work-related attitudes. Very little current literature describes flow at work in physicians, who experience significant barriers to optimal work outputs, also known as flow thieves (e.g., case interruptions, documenting care). This study aimed to develop a measurement for physician flow (P-Flow) at work and examine the association of P-Flow with physician burnout, job satisfaction, and well-being. METHODS A pilot instrument was tested with items measuring P-Flow at work. After the pilot administration, a 14-item physician flow (P-Flow-14) scale was administered to physicians. In addition to the P-Flow-14 scale, physician respondents completed items measuring burnout, job satisfaction, and well-being. RESULTS This study specifies initial psychometric evidence of P-Flow-14 and 7-item P-Flow instruments for researchers interested in studying flow at work in physicians. For each P-Flow instrument, higher levels of the flow experience correlated with superior levels of well-being (p < .01) and job satisfaction (p < .01), and less burnout (p < .001). Results showed initial psychometric evidence of derived subscales (work absorption, clinical flow, flow thieves, work fulfillment) for application in future research. Results showed associations between flow experience by age group and physician specialty. CONCLUSIONS/APPLICATION TO PRACTICE To enhance well-being and job satisfaction, physicians should aim for concentration and immersion in clinical duties while reducing unnecessary distractions. These findings can be applied by employers and can guide further research on work interruptions and patient safety. Future research can validate the P-Flow scales and subscales to assess interventions aimed to improve the physician work environment.
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Liu D, Lan Y, Li C, Xu Y, Yang J. A Bifactor Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling Representation of the Structure of the Decent Work Scale: Evidence from China. JOURNAL OF CAREER ASSESSMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/10690727221096487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The present study investigates the psychometric properties of decent work utilizing the bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (Bifactor-ESEM) approach. Using a sample of 701 Chinese employees who completed the multidimensional Decent Work Scale (DWS: Duffy et al., 2017), this study reveals the superiority of the Bifactor-ESEM representation of DWS compared to alternative representations of the data (ICM-CFA, Bifactor-CFA, and ESEM). Additionally, the results of measurement invariance in the MIMIC framework indicate the DWS is equivalent in various age and job tenure samples of participants. Finally, the results provide evidence for the criterion validity by confirming the importance of accounting for both the G-factor (representing the global level of decent work) and the S-factors (representing the specific level of decent work), which shows that specific types of decent work explained variance in covariates (i.e., work well-being, life well-being, engagement, and turnover intention) over and above the variance already explained by the G-factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doudou Liu
- School of Public Administration and Policy, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanmei Lan
- School of Public Administration and Policy, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Chaoping Li
- School of Public Administration and Policy, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Xu
- School of Public Administration and Policy, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Yang
- School of Business, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, China
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Focused-Attention Meditation Improves Flow, Communication Skills, and Safety Attitudes of Surgeons. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19095292. [PMID: 35564687 PMCID: PMC9099589 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19095292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Patient safety is a worldwide problem and a focus of academic research. Human factors and ergonomics (HFE) is an approach to improving healthcare work systems and processes. From the perspective of the cognitive ergonomics of HFE, the aim of this study is to improve the flow level, communication skills, and safety attitudes of surgeons through focused-attention meditation (FAM) training, thus helping to reduce adverse clinical events. METHODS In total, 140 surgeons were recruited from three hospitals in China and randomly divided into two groups (FAM group and control group). The FAM group received 8 weeks of FAM training, while the control group was on the waiting list and did not receive any interventions. Three scales (WOLF, LCSAS, and SAQ-C) were used to measure the data of three variables (flow, communication skills, and safety attitude), respectively, at two times, before and after the intervention (pre-test and post-test). The incidence of adverse events during the intervention was also collected for both groups. RESULTS The ANOVA results showed that all three variables had a significant main effect of time and significant interactions between time and group. The independent-sample T-test results showed that the incidence of adverse events during the intervention was significantly lower in the FAM group than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS The intervention of FAM could significantly improve surgeons' flow levels, communication skills, and safety attitudes, potentially helping to reduce adverse clinical events.
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Kang X, Yang L, Xu L, Yue Y, Ding M. Latent Classes of Circadian Type and Presenteeism and Work-Related Flow Differences Among Clinical Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study. Psychiatry Investig 2022; 19:311-319. [PMID: 35500904 PMCID: PMC9058268 DOI: 10.30773/pi.2021.0357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To classify the characteristics of circadian type among clinical nurses and examine their relationships with presenteeism and work-related flow. METHODS Using a cross-sectional design, 568 nurses were recruited through convenience sampling in January 2021 from three hospitals in Shandong Province, China. The data were collected using self-report measures, including the 11-item Circadian Type Inventory, Stanford Presenteeism Scale-6, and Work-Related Flow Inventory. Latent class analysis was performed to identify any clustering of circadian types. One-way analysis was performed to compare the differences between presenteeism and work-related flow in different circadian types. RESULTS Four latent classes were identified, including high response class (14.4%), high flexible class (20.1%), high languid class (51.1%), and low response class (14.4%). Regarding presenteeism, the high languid class had higher scores than others. Regarding work-related flow, the scores of high flexible class were higher than those of high languid class, while the differences in all three dimensions were statistically significant. CONCLUSION Although the shift work mode is not expected to change, nursing managers could use circadian type as a predictive index to select and employ individuals for shift work to enhance work performance and provide sufficient support to staff who are intolerant to shift work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Kang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Lijuan Yang
- Department of Nursing, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Linjing Xu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Yang Yue
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Min Ding
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
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Aubouin-Bonnaventure J, Fouquereau E, Coillot H, Lahiani FJ, Chevalier S. Virtuous Organizational Practices: A New Construct and a New Inventory. Front Psychol 2021; 12:724956. [PMID: 34721186 PMCID: PMC8548739 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.724956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on the identification of organizational practices that promote individual and organizational performance is now very extensive. However, several studies have revealed the dark side of these practices on employees' psychological health. Consequently, researchers have called on the scientific community to focus on the well-being of workers and to identify the organizational practices that promote it. Thus, the aim of the present research was to fill this gap by introducing a new conceptualization of organizational practices supporting the psychological health of employees and proposing a new improved measure to assess them. Drawing on the American Psychological Association's model of Psychologically healthy workplace, we first conceptualized the innovative multidimensional construct of virtuous organizational practices. We then conducted four studies (N = 1,407) to develop and validate the Virtuous Organizational Practices inventory. Results of exploratory statistical analyses provide strong evidence of the second-order factor structure of the inventory in different French samples and of the convergent, predictive and incremental validity of this tool. Implications for researchers, organizations and practitioners and avenues for future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Evelyne Fouquereau
- QualiPsy EE 1901, Psychology Department, University of Tours, Tours, France
| | - Hélène Coillot
- QualiPsy EE 1901, Psychology Department, University of Tours, Tours, France
| | | | - Séverine Chevalier
- QualiPsy EE 1901, Psychology Department, University of Tours, Tours, France
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Dierendonck C, de Chambrier AF, Fagnant A, Luxembourger C, Tinnes-Vigne M, Poncelet D. Investigating the Dimensionality of Early Numeracy Using the Bifactor Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling Framework. Front Psychol 2021; 12:680124. [PMID: 34239484 PMCID: PMC8258407 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.680124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The few studies that have analyzed the factorial structure of early number skills have mainly used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and have yielded inconsistent results, since early numeracy is considered to be unidimensional, multidimensional or even underpinned by a general factor. Recently, the bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (bifactor-ESEM)-which has been proposed as a way to overcome the shortcomings of both the CFA and the exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM)-proved to be valuable to account for the multidimensionality and the hierarchical nature of several psychological constructs. The present study is the first to investigate the dimensionality of early number skills measurement through the application of the bifactor-ESEM framework. Using data from 644 prekindergarten and kindergarten children (4 to 6 years old), several competing models were contrasted: the one-factor CFA model; the independent cluster model (ICM-CFA); the exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM); and their bifactor counterpart (bifactor-CFA and bifactor-ESEM, respectively). Results indicated acceptable fit indexes for the one-factor CFA and the ICM-CFA models and excellent fit for the others. Among these, the bifactor-ESEM with one general factor and three specific factors (Counting, Relations, Arithmetic) not only showed the best model fit, but also the best coherent factor loadings structure and full measurement invariance across gender. The bifactor-ESEM appears relevant to help disentangle and account for general and specific factors of early numerical ability. While early numerical ability appears to be mainly underpinned by a general factor whose exact nature still has to be determined, this study highlights that specific latent dimensions with substantive value also exist. Identifying these specific facets is important in order to increase quality of early numerical ability measurement, predictive validity, and for practical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Dierendonck
- Department of Education and Social Work, University of Luxembourg, Esch-Belval, Luxembourg
| | | | - Annick Fagnant
- EQUALE Research Unit, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Mélanie Tinnes-Vigne
- Department of Education and Social Work, University of Luxembourg, Esch-Belval, Luxembourg
| | - Débora Poncelet
- Department of Education and Social Work, University of Luxembourg, Esch-Belval, Luxembourg
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