Developing a Scale to Measure Social Workers' Integration of Spirituality in the Workplace

• Published in: Journal of religion & spirituality in social work Vol. 28; no. 3; pp. 284 - 305
• Main Author: Chamiec-Case, Rick
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Binghamton, NY Routledge 01.09.2009; Haworth Press
• Subjects: Christianity; Contemporary period; General subjects; History and sciences of religions; meaning; measurement; Professional Orientations; religion; Religiosity; Social Workers; Spirituality; Work Environment; Worker Attitudes; workplace; Spirituality; Integration; Social work; meaning; Religion; workplace; measurement
• ISSN: 1542-6432; 1542-6440
• DOI: 10.1080/15426430903070228

This article summarizes a study designed to develop an instrument measuring the extent to which social workers perceive that they integrate spirituality in the workplace. Input from a focus group, individual interviews, and expert judges led to a preliminary scale titled the Integration of Spirituality in the Workplace Scale (ISWS). The Integration of Spirituality in the Workplace Scale was then field tested with a nonprobability sample of 574 social workers. After factor analysis and subsequent factor refinement, the Integration of Spirituality in the Workplace Scale was reduced to a final 21-item version comprised of three subscales. Statistical analysis collected from this field test provided promising evidence that the Integration of Spirituality in the Workplace Scale and its three subscales provide reliable, valid measures of social workers' perceptions regarding the degree to which that they integrate spirituality in the workplace.