Validation of the Portuguese version of the Stanford Presenteeism Scale in nurses

Abstract

The SPS-6 is a tool that is widely used to test the characteristic of presenteeism, which is the ability to concentrate and work despite health problems. This concept refers to the phenomenon of people-despite complaining and being ill--going to work instead of resting and taking sick leave. The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the SPS-6. Internal consistency was examined by Cronbach's α. The Perceived Stress Scale was selected to determine the external validity of the SPS-6. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to evaluate construct validity. The reliability analysis of all 126 registered nurses entered in the study showed satisfactory results (Cronbach's α = 0.83). External validity was evidenced by the significant negative correlation between the SPS-6 and the perceived stress scores. The factor analysis resulted in a two-component solution that conjointly accounted for 52.4% of the variance. A confirmatory factor analysis showed an adequate model fit. The Portuguese version of the SPS-6 displays the appropriate structure to measure the active employee's engagement at work.