Open AccessA psychometric evaluation of the 17 itemed Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-17) in Uganda
Author(s) -
Ibrahim Abaasi Musenze,
Thomas Sifuna Mayende
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
african journal of psychological assessment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2707-1618
pISSN - 2617-2798
DOI - 10.4102/ajopa.v2i0.8
Subject(s) - work engagement , confirmatory factor analysis , psychology , scale (ratio) , context (archaeology) , sample (material) , structural equation modeling , work (physics) , statistics , mathematics , mechanical engineering , paleontology , physics , chemistry , chromatography , quantum mechanics , engineering , biology
Purpose - This study aimed at the establishment of the psychometric properties of the UWES-17 itemed factorial structure. This was done by examining the similarities and differences in terms of model fit of the tri-factor model to a one-factor model. Design/methodology/approach - Using a cross-sectional design, confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the 17-item uni-dimensional and the 17-item tri-factor UWES respectively on a sample of 323 Education Assistants (professional teachers) in Uganda. Findings - The study confirmed an 11 item tri-factor UWES-Ug as a reliable and parsimonious factor structure within this cohort.Research limitations/implications - The sample was restricted to teachers and this limits the generalisability of the findings.Practical implications - On account of these results, the study sample evidently attests to the fact that work engagement is best represented as a tri-factor construct in Ugandan context. This study contributes to theory by confirmation of the three-factor structure of work engagement in developing countries through use of perceptual data from a Ugandan sample. Originality/value - This is a pioneer empirical study that validates the UWES 17 itemed scale in Uganda.