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Spanish validation of the Basic Psychological Needs at Work Scale: A measure to predict teachers’ well-being in the workplace

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International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study aimed to validate a Spanish-version of the Basic Psychological Needs at Work Scale (BPNWS-Sp) and to examine the associations between needs satisfaction and engagement and burnout in secondary education teachers. Using a sample of 584 secondary education teachers, the results supported the three-factor model, composite reliability, measurement invariance, and nomological validity of the BPNWS-Sp. This study contributes to validating the first instrument in Spanish to measure the satisfaction of the three BPNs separately in secondary education teachers. The measurement of teachers’ BPNs could effectively provide guidance for school policies to improve teaching and learning.

Résumé

Validation espagnole de l’échelle des besoins psychologiques basiques au travail: Une mesure de prédiction du bien-être au travail. Le but de cette étude est de valider une version espagnole de l’échelle des besoins psychologiques basiques au travail (BPNWS-Sp) et d’examiner les associations de la satisfaction des besoins et de l’engagement avec le burnout chez les enseignements du degré secondaire. L’échantillon se composait de 584 enseignants du degré secondaire, les résultats étaient favorables au modèle de trois facteurs, à la fiabilité de construit, à l’invariance de mesure et la validité nomologique du BPNWS-Sp. Cette étude contribue à la validation du premier instrument espagnol pour mesurer individuellement les trois besoins psychologiques basiques chez les enseignants du degré secondaire. Cet instrument pourrait fournir des indications sur les polices scolaires de manière à améliorer l’enseignement et l’apprentissage.

Zusammenfassung

Spanische Validierung der Skala der psychologischen Grundbedürfnisse an der Arbeit: Ein Mittel um das Wohlbefinden von Lehrern am Arbeitsplatz vorherzusagen. Das Ziel der Studie war es, eine spanische Version der Skala der psychologischen Grundbedürfnisse an der Arbeit (BPNWS-Sp) zu validieren und die Zusammenhänge zwischen Bedürfnissbefriedigung, Engagement und Burn-out bei Lehrern der Sekundarstufe zu überprüfen. Die Resultate, die auf einer Befragung von 584 Sekundarlehrern beruhen, unterstützen das Drei-Faktoren Modell, kongenerische Reliabilität, Messungsinvarianz, und nomologische Validität von der BPNWS-Sp. Diese Studie trägt dazu bei, das erste Instrument auf Spanisch zu validieren, welches die Befriedigung von den drei psychologischen Grundbedürfnissen bei Sekundarlehrern auf separate Weise misst. Die Erhebung der psychologischen Grundbedürfnisse von Lehrern könnte als Orientierung für Schulvereinbarungen dienen, um das Unterrichten und Lernen zu verbessern.

Resumen

Validación española de la Escala de Necesidades Psicológicas Básicas en el trabajo: Una medida para la predicción del bienestar docente en el puesto de trabajo. El presente estudio pretende validar la versión española de la Escala de Necesidades Psicológicas Básicas en el trabajo (BPNWS-Sp) y examinar la asociación entre la satisfacción de las necesidades, el compromiso y el burnout en el profesorado de educación secundaria. Utilizando una muestra de 584 profesores de secundaria, los resultados dieron soporte al modelo de tres factores, a la fiabilidad del constructo, a la invariancia de medida y a la validez nomológica de la BPNWS-Sp. Este estudio contribuye a la validación del primer instrumento en español para la medición de la satisfacción de las tres necesidades psicológicas básicas de manera separada en el profesorado de secundaria. La escala de las necesidades psicológicas básicas en el profesorado puede contribuir eficázmente en la creación de políticas escolares que faciliten la mejora tanto de la enseñanza como del aprendizaje.

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Funding

This work has been financed by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO; EDU2013-42048-R).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, Faculty of Health and Sport Science, University of Zaragoza, Plaza Universidad, 3, 22001, Huesca, Spain

    Ángel Abós Catalán, Javier Sevil Serrano & Luis García-González

  2. Department of Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Ciudad Escolar, s/n, 44003, Teruel, Spain

    José Antonio Julián Clemente

  3. Department of Psychology and Sociology, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Ciudad Escolar, s/n, 44003, Teruel, Spain

    José Martín-Albo Lucas

Authors
  1. Ángel Abós Catalán
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  2. Javier Sevil Serrano
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  3. José Antonio Julián Clemente
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  4. José Martín-Albo Lucas
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  5. Luis García-González
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Correspondence to Ángel Abós Catalán.

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Appendix

Appendix

See Table 7.

Table 7 Spanish and English versions of the BPNWS
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Abós Catalán, Á., Sevil Serrano, J., Julián Clemente, J. et al. Spanish validation of the Basic Psychological Needs at Work Scale: A measure to predict teachers’ well-being in the workplace. Int J Educ Vocat Guidance 18, 127–148 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-017-9351-4

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