Developing a Measure of Toxic Positivity at Work
Publisher
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Place of Publication
Chattanooga (Tenn.)
Abstract
A survey instrument measuring toxic positivity in the workplace was developed in this research study. We hypothesized that toxic positivity manifests through two key dimensions: emotional suppression conformity and future optimism bias, and developed a comprehensive measurement tool to assess these behaviors. We created a 29-item survey, derived from a comprehensive literature review and refined through expert feedback using the Lawshe Content Validity Ratio. Data was collected from a convenience sample of 156 employed individuals, recruited through Prolific Academic. Descriptive statistics show an average participant age of 39.75 years, with a gender distribution of 54.5% male, 41.8% female, and 3.6% non-binary. We used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to refine the scale and assess its dimensionality. This analysis led to the identification of two core dimensions, emotional suppression conformity and future optimism bias, with strong internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha of .93 and .90, respectively). This new scale can be used by organizations to identify and address the prevalence of these attitudes among their employees. Researchers can also use it to test its relationship with organizational outcomes, such as burnout and employee engagement. Future studies should also consider further validating this scale by conducting a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and examining correlations between scores on this scale to those of emotional labor, burnout, and realistic optimism to establish convergent and discriminant validity. Our poster will focus on the development of this scale and the future research needed in this space as well as the practical implications summarized below. Practically, the scale can serve as a diagnostic tool for organizations to mitigate toxic positivity, improve emotional authenticity, and promote healthier workplace cultures. These insights are critical for enhancing employee well-being, job satisfaction, and organizational productivity.
Date
11-9-2024
Subject
Industrial and organizational psychology
Document Type
posters
Language
English
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
PDF of Poster
Developing a Measure of Toxic Positivity at Work
A survey instrument measuring toxic positivity in the workplace was developed in this research study. We hypothesized that toxic positivity manifests through two key dimensions: emotional suppression conformity and future optimism bias, and developed a comprehensive measurement tool to assess these behaviors. We created a 29-item survey, derived from a comprehensive literature review and refined through expert feedback using the Lawshe Content Validity Ratio. Data was collected from a convenience sample of 156 employed individuals, recruited through Prolific Academic. Descriptive statistics show an average participant age of 39.75 years, with a gender distribution of 54.5% male, 41.8% female, and 3.6% non-binary. We used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to refine the scale and assess its dimensionality. This analysis led to the identification of two core dimensions, emotional suppression conformity and future optimism bias, with strong internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha of .93 and .90, respectively). This new scale can be used by organizations to identify and address the prevalence of these attitudes among their employees. Researchers can also use it to test its relationship with organizational outcomes, such as burnout and employee engagement. Future studies should also consider further validating this scale by conducting a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and examining correlations between scores on this scale to those of emotional labor, burnout, and realistic optimism to establish convergent and discriminant validity. Our poster will focus on the development of this scale and the future research needed in this space as well as the practical implications summarized below. Practically, the scale can serve as a diagnostic tool for organizations to mitigate toxic positivity, improve emotional authenticity, and promote healthier workplace cultures. These insights are critical for enhancing employee well-being, job satisfaction, and organizational productivity.
Department
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Dept. of Psychology