Handling the reflective-formative measurement conundrum: A practical illustration based on sustainable employability

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Constructs capturing health or functioning can have reflective and/or formative measurement models. Although a construct's measurement model has extensive implications on the construction, validation and use of a measurement instrument, measurement models are frequently wrongly or not explicitly specified. As this is likely due to a lack of guidelines, this study uses sustainable employability as an example to demonstrate a) the applicability of an adapted checklist for establishing a construct's measurement model; and b) the use of structural equation modelling to handle formative constructs.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: First, the checklist is applied to sustainable employability to establish its measurement model. Second, using observational self-report data from 2,544 employees, structural equation models are estimated to evaluate the structural and criterion validity of sustainable employability as a formative construct.

RESULTS: The checklist demonstrates strong applicability, identifying sustainable employability as a formative construct. Model fit indices (CFIs > .932, TLIs > .925, RMSEAs < .034) suggest the formative measurement model for sustainable employability is valid.

CONCLUSION: The checklist and structural equation modelling facilitate handling formative constructs. By establishing sustainable employability as a formative construct, individuals' long term ability to function at work can be more adequately studied and intervened upon.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)71-81
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Clinical Epidemiology
Volume103
Early online date11 Jul 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2018

Keywords

  • formative measurement model
  • reflective measurement model
  • sustainable employability
  • health
  • validation
  • complex constructs
  • Validation
  • Formative measurement model
  • Health
  • MEASUREMENT MODELS
  • CONSTRUCTS
  • WILCOX 2007
  • COSMIN CHECKLIST
  • MISSPECIFICATION
  • Sustainable employability
  • Complex constructs
  • CAUSAL INDICATORS
  • VARIABLES
  • Reflective measurement model
  • QUALITY-OF-LIFE
  • METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY
  • INSTRUMENTS

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