Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Survey of Perceived Organizational Support

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Survey of Perceived Organizational Support (SPOS-J) for the Japanese workforce. Methods: The translation of the SPOS into Japanese followed the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) Task Force guidelines. An online baseline survey with 6220 Japanese workers assessed the SPOS-J and related scales, followed by a follow-up survey with 452 respondents 2 weeks later. We developed the SPOS-J and evaluated its factorial, convergent, and known-group validities, as well as its internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and interpretability. Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (EFA and CFA) indicated that the SPOS-J, diverging from the original version’s 1-factor structure, adopted a 2-factor structure comprising 2 subscales: the SPOS-J (Sufficiency of Positive Aspects [SPA]) and the SPOS-J (Minimality of Negative Aspects [MNA]). The final version of the SPOS-J, consisting of 8 items selected by the item response theory analysis, demonstrated acceptable model fit in the CFA. Cronbach a values for SPOS-J (SPA) and SPOS-J (MNA) were .92 and .84; intraclass coefficients were 0.72 and 0.55, respectively. The correlations between SPOS-J (SPA) and related variables, as well as the score distributions by demographic characteristics, supported the convergent and known-group validity of SPOS-J (SPA). In contrast, SPOS-J (MNA) showed lower correlation coefficients with all related variables and supported known-group validity. Conclusions: The SPOS-J (SPA), a subscale of the 8-item SPOS-J, is a reliable and valid measure for assessing perceived organizational support among Japanese workers.