Translation and Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Perceived Workplace Environment Scale in Taiwanese Information Technology Professionals

• Published in: Journal of Occupational Health 2012-05, Vol.54 (3), p.223-231
• Main Authors: Lin, Yun‐Ping, Kao, Tsui‐Sui Annie, Mccullagh, Marjorie C., Edington, Dee W., Larson, Janet L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Consistency; Cross sections; Employees; Exercise; Female; Humans; Information systems; Information technology; Information technology professionals; Instrument translation; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational health; Perceived Workplace Environment Scale; Perception; Physical activity; Psychometric properties; Psychometrics; Quantitative psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Translations; Work environment; Workplace - psychology; Workplaces
• ISSN: 1341-9145; 1348-9585; 1348-9585
• DOI: 10.1539/joh.11-0225-OA

[Background]: The six-item Perceived Workplace Environment Scale (PWES) is a self-report instrument designed to measure employees' perceptions of the extent to which their workplace environment supports employee physical activity. A Chinese version is needed to facilitate workplace physical activity research in Chinese speaking countries. [Objectives]: This paper describes the translation process and the psychometric properties of the newly translated Chinese version of the PWES (PWES-C). [Methods]: The PWES in English was translated into Chinese using a modified committee approach with the consideration of cross-cultural equivalence. Psychometric properties were examined by a cross-sectional survey of 466 male and 109 female Taiwanese information technology (IT) professionals from three IT companies in northern Taiwan. [Results]: Content validity of the newly translated PWES-C was supported by a panel of experts. Internal consistency reliability was high (Cronbach's alpha=0.88), and no significant ceiling and floor effects were observed for the PWES-C. Construct validity was supported by examining the factor structure of the PWES-C using a confirmatory factor analysis, and the results suggest a single-factor structure. [Conclusions]: The PWES-C is a reliable and valid measure of perceived workplace physical activity environments in Taiwanese IT professionals. The scale could be used by employers to document employees' perception of the workplace environment.