Francisco D. Bretones (University of Granada, Spain) fdiazb@ugr.es

Adaptation of the Structural

Empowerment Scale to Spanish

How to cite: Jáimez, M. J. & Bretones, F. D. (2013). Spanish Adaptation of the

Structural Empowerment Scale. Spanish Journal of Psychology, 16, 1-7.

Francisco D. Bretones (University of Granada, Spain) fdiazb@ugr.es

Empowerment• It has come to receive wide recognition in organizational studies as a

crucial element of an organization’s effectiveness and management, increasing when power and control are shared.• Empowerment has been studied by experts from a variety of

perspectives:• As the psychological state employees should experience when management

provides them with an appropriate level of power and control (psychological empowerment)• As a series of organizational practices that give subordinates power, control,

and authority (structural empowerment)

Francisco D. Bretones (University of Granada, Spain) fdiazb@ugr.es

Structural empowerment• Access to empowerment structures increases the specific job

characteristics and interpersonal relations.• Said structures can include acces to: • resources (ability to acquire the financing, materials, time, and support

necessary to do the job)• information (have formal and informal knowledge necessary to be effective in

the workplace)• support (receiving feedback and direction from subordinates, co-workers with

the same hierarchical level, and superiors).

Francisco D. Bretones (University of Granada, Spain) fdiazb@ugr.es

Structural empowerment• Grounded in this concept of structural empowerment, Laschinger

(1996, 2004) developed a questionnaire, the Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire (CWEQ), to measure the empowerment structures described• But, currently, there is not scale adapted into Spanish that measures

the structural empowerment construct• So, our objective in this study is to adapt and validate the CWEQ-II in

Spanish.

Francisco D. Bretones (University of Granada, Spain) fdiazb@ugr.es

Methodology• A total of 164 working individuals participated in this study; all were

completing a course in the undergraduate program in Occupational Science at the Universidad de Granada (Spain). • To participate in the study, one had to have at least one year’s work

experience and be actively employed at the time the research was conducted. • The study’s sample had an average age of 25.92 years-old, ranging

from 19 to 58 years of age, and had been working for their respective companies for an average of 3.76 years.

Francisco D. Bretones (University of Granada, Spain) fdiazb@ugr.es

Conclusions• The Spanish version of the CWEQ-II proposed in this study is perfectly

valid, based on the fact that scores from the analyses of internal and external validity demonstrate the model’s adequate fit to the data.• The Spanish version of the CWEQ-II consists of four subscales with

three items each (Opportunity includes items 1, 2, and 3; Information includes 4, 5, and 6; Support includes 7, 8, and 9; and Resources includes 10, 11, and 12). • That four-dimensional structure, furthermore, is aligned with the one

originally proposed by Laschinger in 1996 and 2004

Francisco D. Bretones (University of Granada, Spain) fdiazb@ugr.es

Spanish version of the Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire II( CWEQ-II)A continuación, indique el grado en el que cada una de las siguientes características se da en su puesto de trabajo. Para ello, escriba el número correspondiente al final de cada frase teniendo en cuenta que 1 es “poco/a” y 5 “mucho/a”.¿Qué características considera usted que tiene su trabajo actual? 1. Un trabajo estimulante_____ 2. Oportunidad de adquirir nuevas habilidades y conocimientos en el trabajo_____3. Desarrollo de tareas que emplean todas sus habilidades y conocimientos_____4. Información sobre el estado actual de la organización_____ 5. Información sobre los valores de la organización_____6. Información sobre los objetivos de la organización_____7. Información específica sobre las cosas que usted hace bien _____8. Comentarios concretos sobre las cosas que usted podría mejorar_____9. Consejos útiles o sugerencias sobre la resolución de problemas_____10. Tiempo disponible para realizar el trabajo administrativo _____11. Tiempo disponible para cumplir los requisitos del trabajo _____12. Oportunidad de conseguir ayuda temporal cuando se necesita_____

Francisco D. Bretones (University of Granada, Spain) fdiazb@ugr.es

You can obtain a full free copy of this research at:• https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Francisco_Bretones

/publication/250307922_Spanish_Adaptation_of_the_Structural_Empowerment_Scale/links/572e80a408ae3736095b17c5.pdf

• More information:• http://www.fdbretones.es/english/

• fdiazb@ugr.es