Validity evidence of the ethical leadership behavior scale (ELBS)

Abstract

The study gathered evidence of validity based on the internal structure and relations with external variables of the Ethical Leadership Behavior Scale. The study participants were 405 workers of both sexes (64.7% female), aged 19-69 years (M = 35.7; SD = 10.9), who answered the Brazilian version of the scale and instruments to assess other constructs. The confirmatory factor analyses pointed to a final version of 35 items concentrated in a single factor, with an internal consistency index of 0.96. In the validity evidence in relation to external variables, the scale was positively and moderately correlated with work engagement, job satisfaction, and affective organizational commitment; weakly and positively with general mental health; and weakly and negatively with burnout. The future use of the scale in organizational research and diagnostics on ethical leadership behavior is recommended.