Development and psychometric evaluation of the Work-Family Enrichment Scale for married shift-working nurses in Korea: a methodological study

Purpose: This study aimed to develop and validate the Work-Family Enrichment Scale for married shift-working nurses (WFES-N).Methods: A methodological study design was used. Preliminary items were generated based on the work-family enrichment theory proposed by Greenhaus and Powell and were refined through a literature review, in-depth interviews, and content validity testing. Data were collected from married shift-working nurses and analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Reliability and validity, including convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity, were examined.Results: Exploratory factor analysis of the preliminary items identified five factors that explained 58.6% of the total variance. Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis supported a four-factor structure consisting of 18 items: benefits of shift work, benefits of multiple roles, economic benefits, and benefits of working. The overall model demonstrated good fit indices. Cronbach’s α for the total scale was .93, and test-retest reliability, assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient, was .95. Convergent validity was supported, with composite reliability ranging from .81 to .92 and average variance extracted values ranging from .59 to .62. Discriminant validity was confirmed because the confidence intervals of the inter-factor correlations did not include 1.00. Criterion validity was established through a significant correlation with the Work-Family Enrichment Scale (r=.76, p<.001).Conclusion: The developed WFES-N demonstrated satisfactory reliability and validity and provides a context-sensitive tool for assessing work-family enrichment among married shift-working nurses. This instrument may be useful in research and practice aimed at promoting nurses’ well-being and work-family balance.