rapport170.doc

7/23/2019 Rapport170.Doc

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Capturing Autonomy, Relatedness and Competence at Work:

Construction and Validation of a Work-related Basic Need Satisfaction Scale.

Ana VAN !"N BR#"C$%, &aarten VANS'""N$(S'"), *ans !" W(''"%,

Willy +"NS%, Bart S#"N"NS)

%niersity of +euen, Belgium

/0ent niersity, Belgium

Corresponding Author:

Anja Van den Broeck, Tiensestraat 102, 3000 Leuven, Belgiu!

"ail: Anja!VandenBroeck#ps$!kuleuven!%e

&'T": The (irst author)s contri%ution *as supported %$ the grant (ro the +und (or cienti(ic

-esearch +landers .+/'Vlaanderen! /e *ould like to thank +ilip ereijs and -ein e

Cooan (or their help in the data collection and Lance +erris (or his help(ul suggestions in

conducting this research!
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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&eed satis(action at *ork 2

A1stract

The satis(action o( the %asic ps$chological needs (or autono$, copetence and

relatedness, as de(ined %$ el(eterination Theor$, has %een identi(ied as an

iportant predictor o( individuals) optial (unctioning! The stud$ o( *orkrelated

need satis(action is, ho*ever, hapered %$ the lack o( a validated easure! The

present stud$ aied to develop and validate a /orkrelated Basic &eed atis(action

scale ./B&! 4sing (our saples, evidence *as (ound (or the 3(actor structure o(

the scale, the discriinant validit$ and relia%ilit$ o( the three needs, and their

criterionrelated and predictive validit$! Based on these results, it is concluded that

the /B& represents a proising tool (or (uture research and practice!

5"6 /'-: cale evelopent, Basic &eed atis(action, el(eterination Theor$, /ork

7otivation


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Capturing Autono$, -elatedness and Copetence at /ork

Construction and Validation o( a /orkrelated Basic &eed atis(action cale!

Various scholars have suggested that needs are the (undaental drivers o( huan %ehavior

.Latha 8 9inder, 200! 7aslo* .1;tent to *hich the$ develop, (or instance, a need (or achieveent, a((iliation

and po*er! ?n el(eterination Theor$ .T@ eci 8 -$an, 2000@ Vansteenkiste, -$an, 8 eci, 200

three innate ps$chological needs are considered crucial (or individuals) optial (unctioning, that is, the

needs (or autono$ .i!e!, volitional (unctioning, relatedness .i!e!, (eeling loved and cared (or and

copetence .i!e!, (eeling e((ective!

The epirical literature on need satis(action is e>ponentiall$ gro*ing, providing evidence (or the%ene(icial e((ects o( %asic ps$chological need satis(action, as de(ined in T, %oth in general and in

speci(ic li(edoains .eci 8 -$an, 2000! o*ever, a coherent (urther stud$ o( need satis(action in the

conte>t o( *ork ight %e hapered %$ the lack o( a validated doain speci(ic easureent, leading

researchers to rel$ on adhoc scales .e!g!, -oca 8 agn, 200! Based on (our saples, *e ai to

develop and validate a *orkrelated %asic need satis(action easure in this stud$, *hich ight (oster the

stud$ o( *orkrelated need satis(action, its antecedents and outcoes!

Basic 9s$chological &eed atis(action in el(eterination Theor$

?n T, %asic ps$chological need satis(action is assued to represent the underl$ing

otivational echanis that energiDes and directs people)s %ehavior and that prootes *ellness and

developent .eci 8 -$an, 2000! &eed satis(action is de(ined as the innate ps$chological nutrient

that is essential (or ongoing optial (unctioning .eci 8 -$an, 2000! This de(inition highlights several

iportant (eatures o( T)s concept o( needs! +irst, priar$ attention is paid to individuals)

psychologicalrather than their %iological needs .e!g!, hunger, thirst, se> as *as the case in the earl$

need theories .e!g!, ull, 1;perience a sense o( choice and authorship over their %ehavior .deChars,

1;=@ eci 8 -$an, 2000! Although related, T)s concept o( autono$ is soe*hat di((erent (ro


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&eed satis(action at *ork pectancies and sel(e((icac$ re(er, ho*ever, to

acFuired cognitions *ith respect to one)s capacities to success(ull$ accoplish particular tasks!

There(ore, the$ are positivel$ valued as (ar as the$ help one in reaching desired goals! Because T)s

concept o( copetence re(ers to an innate tendenc$ to e((ectivel$ deal *ith the environent,

copetence satis(action is valued in its o*n right .eci 8 -$an, 2000!

The T vie* on needs di((ers in at least t*o *a$s (ro other *ellkno*n need perspectives

such as 7cClelland)s (rae*ork .1;=! +irst, 7cClelland (ocuses upon needstrength! As he considers

needs to originate out o( one)s developental process, individuals are thought to di((er in the strength o(


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&eed satis(action at *ork

or iportance the$ attach to particular needs! +or instance, individuals a$ di((er in the need (or

achieveent %ecause soe *ere previousl$ lauded a(ter achieving a particular goal, and hence, learned

to attach positive (eelings to achieveent situations, *hereas others did not ./inter%ottu, 1;;! As

all individuals are said to %e endo*ed *ith the %asic ps$chological needs *ithin T .eci 8 -$an,

2000, T does not consider individual di((erences in need strength, %ut di((erences in the degree in

*hich people are a%le to satis($ their (undaental needs! The degree o( need satisfaction is considered

the ost iportant predictor (or optial (unctioning. ConseFuentl$, T aintains, (or instance, that

positive (eed%ack is %ene(icial (or all eplo$ees, as it satis(ies their in%orn need (or copetence

.7ouratidis, Vansteenkiste, Lens, 8 ideris, 200!

econd, 7cClelland argues that needs drive individuals) %ehavior until needs are (ull$ satis(ied!

/hen need satis(action is reached, the %ehavior is stopped until the need %ecoes again salient! ?n this

vie*, people *ith a high need (or a((iliation *ill search (or *ar social contacts! 'nce such contact hastaken place, the need is teporaril$ reduced and the %ehavior *anes! According to T, individuals do

not need to e>perience a de(icit in need satis(action in order to search (or need satis(action! -ather, the$

are assued to %e attracted to situations in *hich need satis(action a$ occur! +urther, unlike in

7cClelland)s (rae*ork, individuals e>periencing need satis(action are assued to (eel energiDed and

to engage activel$ in ore need (ul(illing activities!

?n general, T aintains that the satis(action o( the three %asic ps$chological needs (or

autono$, copetence and relatedness contri%utes to individuals) (lourishing, *ellness and protects

the against ill%eing! Consistent *ith this clai, several studies have sho*n positive relations %et*een

need satis(action and optial (unctioning in general .heldon, "lliot, 5i, 8 5asser, 2001 and across

li(edoains such as sports and e>ercise .Vlachopoulos 8 7ichailidou, 200=, schooling .illison,

tandage, 8 kerington, 200, and relationships .La uardia, -$an, Couchan, 8 eci, 2000! uch

(indings have %een o%tained at the interpersonal and intraindividual level .e!g!, 7ouratidis, et al!, 200@

-eis, heldon, a%le, -oscoe, 8 -$an, 2000 and in culturall$ ver$ diverse saples, such as Aerican

.-eis et al!, 2000, Belgian .Lu$ck>, Vansteenkiste, oossens, 8 urieD, in press, ingaporean

.heldon, et al!, 2001, Chinese .Vansteenkiste, Lens, oenens, 8 Lu$ck>, 200=, and -ussian .Chirkov,

-$an, 5i, 8 5aplan, 2003 participants!

?n the conte>t o( *ork, initial evidence *as (ound (or positive relations %et*een need

satis(action and eplo$ees) *orkrelated *ell%eing as inde>ed %$ jo% satis(action, *ork engageent

and lo*er %urnout .?lardi, Leone, 5asser, 8 -$an, 1;;3, Van den Broeck, Vansteenkiste, e /itte, 8

Lens, 200, positive attitudes in ters o( decreased turnoverintentions .L$nch, 9lant, 8 -$an, 200@

Vansteenkiste et al!, 200E, and eplo$ees) per(orance .Baard, eci, 8 -$an, 200ed %$ an>iet$, depression and


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&eed satis(action at *ork =

soatiDation .Baard, et al!, 200plain the associations

%et*een supervisorsI leadership st$les .e!g!, eci, -$an, agn, Leone, 4sunov, 8 5ornaDheva, 2001,

jo% characteristics .Van den Broeck, et al!, 200 and eplo$ees) *ell%eing and per(orance!

9resent tud$

Clearl$, need satis(action at *ork a$ %e a use(ul concept to understand eplo$ees) (unctioning

and e>aine the otivational potential o( organiDational (actors! o*ever, *ithin this proising %od$

o( research, di((erent adhoc instruents have %een used! This ight haper the developent o( a

coherent and cuulative literature on *orkrelated need satis(action (or various reasons! +irst, to date,

these Fuestionnaires lack stringent validation! econd, the di((erent scales used soeties contain itesthat do not tap into the satis(action o( the %asic needs as such! +or instance, the %asic need satis(action at

*ork scale ./B&, Baard, et al!, 200perience o( need

satis(action per se! Alternativel$, the *ork otivation (or eplo$ee scale ./7+ "@ ?lardi, et al!,

1;;3@ 5asser, ave$, 8 -$an, 1;;2 assesses potential conseFuences o( %asic need satis(action such as

intrinsic otivation .e!g!, Go* uch do $ou enjo$ $our *orkH! Third, little research has %een

conducted to gain insight in the role o( need (rustration! This is an iportant issue in light o( previous

critical accounts suggesting that T is e>clusivel$ concerned *ith huan (lourishing at the e>pense o(

huan aladjustent and need (rustration .9$sDcD$nski, reen%erg, 8 oloon, 2000! /e (orulated

ites that tap into %oth need satis(action and need (rustration! This *as done to e>aine *hether need

satis(action and need (rustration can %e located onto one underl$ing continuu or represent t*o

di((erent aspects o( eplo$ees) (unctioning, as suggested %$ research on the distinction %et*een

pleasure and displeasure .Barrett, 7esFuita, 'chsner, 8 ross, 200E@ /atson, 8 Tellegen, 1;!

?n su, in this stud$, *e ai to develop and validate a contentvalid easure to asses need

satis(action and need (rustration in the conte>t o( *ork! To this end, the (ollo*ing steps *ere taken

.inkin, 1;;@ evellis, 2003! ?n 9hase 1, a large ite pool *as generated! ?n 9hase 2, a (inal set o(

ites *as selected %ased on ite anal$sis, e>plorator$ (actor anal$sis, and interite correlations! ?n

9hase 3, con(irator$ (actor anal$sis *as used to (urther validate the (actor structure o( the scale and to

e>aine the discriinant validit$ o( the di((erent needs! ?n 9hase aining the scales) relia%ilit$ and the degree to *hich

ipression anageent *ould con(ound this sel(report easure! ?n particular, *e e>ained the role o(

ipression anageent, that is, individuals) tendenc$ to create and aintain desired perceptions o(


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&eed satis(action at *ork E

theselves .Bolino, 5acar, Tule$, 8 ilstrap, 200, as it has %een (or*arded as a potential

con(ound in sel(report research in organisational ps$cholog$ .e!g!, +erris, Bro*n, Berr$, 8 Lian, 200!

?n 9hase , *e aied to e>aine the discriinant, criterionrelated, and predictive validit$ o( the /

B&! peci(icall$, *e e>ained *hether the three needs *ere di((erent (ro, $et related to jo%

resources .i!e!, task autono$, opportunities (or skill utiliDation and social support, as environental

(actors and eplo$ees) (unctioning in ters o( *ell%eing .i!e!, jo% satis(action, vigor, e>haustion,

*orkrelated attitudes .i!e!, intrinsic otivation, a((ective organisational coitent and %ehavior

.i!e!, per(orance! ?n addition to assessing *hether need satis(action relates to eplo$ees) sel(reported

(unctioning, *e (urtherore e>ained the /B&) potential to predict an o%jective, prospective

outcoe, that is, actual turnover!

To e>aine these issues, (our saples *ere used! +irst, a large convenience saple .NJ ;aine

the ps$choetric properties o( the scale and assess its discriinant and criterionrelated validit$, t*o

saples in t*o di((erent organisations .aple 3 and aple 7ethod

Procedure and Participants

Sample 1 and2 *ere collected %$ 120 undergraduate students o( a large universit$ in the utch

speaking part o( Belgiu!As part o( an introductor$ course on Fuantitative research, the students *ere

asked to distri%ute Fuestionnaires aong (riends or relatives *ith at least three $ears o( *orking

e>perience as an eplo$ee! The Fuestionnaires included a letter e>plaining that participation *as

voluntar$ and anon$ous! The copleted Fuestionnaires *ere either picked up %$ the students in sealed

envelopes or the$ *ere directl$ sent %ack to the researchers %$ the participants using prestaped

envelops! ?n total, ;< Fuestionnaires *ere returned! Sample 3 included 1E0 Belgian eplo$ees o( a

-service copan$, *hereas Sample 4coprised 2=1 utch call centre agents! +or aples 3 and


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&eed satis(action at *ork

Measures

All Fuestionnaires *ere availa%le in utch! cale scores *ere coputed as the ean o( the

ites!

Impression management *as assessed in aple 3 *ith 1 ites %orro*ed (ro /a$ne and

+erris .1;;0 such as G? arrive earl$ to ake a good ipression on $ supervisorH! -esponses *ere

ade on a point Likert scale ranging (ro 1 .totally disagree) to .totally agree). Cron%ach)s alpha o(

the scale *as !3! To avoid overspeci(ication o( our odel, prior to odel testing, these ites *ere

randol$ aggregated in three parcels .Alhija 8 /isen%aker, 200=!

Jo resources *ere easured in aple 3 and

*as assessed *ith the (ive ites o( the utch version o( the 7aslach Burnout ?nventor$ eneral

urve$! A saple ite is G? (eel totall$ e>hausted on $ jo%H .chau(eli 8 van ierendonck, 2000!

Cron%ach)s alpha *as !;1 in %oth saples! Both vigor and e>haustion *ere rated on a Epoint Likert

scale (ro 0 .Ne'er to = .(lays* e'ery day!+ife satisfaction *as tapped *ith the ite Go* satis(ied

are $ou, all in all, *ith $our li(eH! -esponses *ere indicated on a Epoint Likert scale ranging (ro 1

.totally unsatisfied to E .totally satisfied! ?n aple 3, intrinsic moti'ation *as assessed *ith (ive

ites such as GThe *ork ? do is a lot o( (unH! These ites *ere %ased on the acadeic and prosocial


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&eed satis(action at *ork ;

sel(regulation scales o( -$an and Connell .1;; and *ere adapted to the present *ork conte>t!

Cron%ach)s alpha *as ;! ue to space liitations, onl$ three ites o( this scale *ere included in

aple onths a(terparticipants had indicated their need satis(action, the -anageent provided in(oration *hether

the$ still eplo$ed each o( the participants! B$ that tie 31 o( the participants .nJ 0 had le(t the

organiDation@ E o( the .nJ =0 had initiated the contract terination theselves and *ere la%eled

as cases o( sel(initiated turnover!

9hase 1: ?te evelopent

To develop an ite pool, *e (irst studied the literature and inspected general and doain

speci(ic operationaliDations o( need satis(action! Then, *e selected and developed appropriate ites

taking the (ollo*ing criteria into account! +irst, ites needed to re(lect eplo$ees) perceptions o( need

satis(action rather than antecedent needsupportive conditions or potential conseFuences! econd, as *e

aied to develop a scale that *ould %e applica%le to all *ork conte>ts, speci(ic *ork setting

terinolog$ *as avoided! +inall$, %oth positive .i!e!, need satis(action and negative .i!e!, need

(rustration ites *ere included! Theoreticall$, this *as done (or the reasons entioned a%ove! +ro a

ethodological point o( vie*, a (orulation o( %oth positive and negative ites ight reduce

acFuiescence %ias or the tendenc$ to agree *ith all ites .Billiet 8 7cClendon, 2000!

All ites *ere (orulated as declarative stateents (ollo*ing the ste GThe (ollo*ing

stateents ai to tap into $our personal e>periences at *ork!H-esponses had to %e ade on a point

Likert scale ranging %et*een 1 .totally disagree to .totally agree! This response (orat *as chosen

%ecause it is %oth siple *hich liits the aount o( construct irrelevant variance .arve$, Billings, 8

&ilan, 1; and su((icientl$ re(ined to elicit varia%ilit$ in the responses .-eise, /aller, 8 Core$,

2000!

Through joint discussion, the authors reduced the initial large pool o( ites %ased on the

theoretical soundness, eFuivalence, and redundanc$ o( the ites! The


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21 relatedness, and 10 copetence *ere e>ained %$ a panel o( (our acadeic judges *ho *ere all

(ailiar *ith TIs conceptualiDation o( %asic ps$chological needs! 'ne o( the judges *as speciall$

selected (or his e>pertise in organiDational ps$cholog$, t*o others (or their e>perience in scale

developent and validation! Based on the judges) coents on the ites) content and (ace validit$,

relevance and clarit$, 2< ites *ere retained, 1 relatedness and 1 copetence ite *ere re*orded and 2

ne* ites (or relatedness *ere (orulated! The (inal ite pool included 2= ites: ites (or autono$,

10 (or relatedness and (or copetence! Be(ore adinistration, these ites *ere randol$ ordered!

9hase 2: ?te selection

9rior to selecting the ites through e>plorator$ (actor anal$sis and e>aining interite

correlations, *e e>ained ite copleteness and the distri%utions o( the ite scores M as indicated %$

the ean, edian, standard deviation, ske*ness, and kurtosis M in aple 1! The nu%er o( issingvalues (or all adinistered ites *as lo*, ranging (ro 0 to 2, and *ere there(ore deeed to %e

rando .Cohen 8 Cohen, 1;3! The eans o( all ites ranged (ro 2! to

deviations e>ceeded !0, %eing indicative o( adeFuate varia%ilit$ .tup(, Colarelli, 8 artan, 1;3!

ke*ness values sho*ed that particularl$ the relatedness (rustration ites sho*ed a tendenc$ (or lo*

scores!

?n a ne>t step, e>plorator$ (actor anal$sis *as conducted! The data *ere considered suita%le (or

(actor anal$tic odeling as the BarlettIs test o( sphericit$ .N 2 J2;3!;1, d( J 32 *as signi(icant .pO !

001, the 5aiser7e$er'lkin .57' eFualed !;0 .Ta%achnik 8 +idell, 1;;, and the ratio o( usa%le

responses versus ites *as 11:1 .5line, 1;;plorator$ (actor anal$sis .principal a>is anal$sis! '%liFue rotation .9-'7AP *as

used as the three di((erent needs *ere e>pected to %e related .-eise, et al!, 2000! The screetest

indicated that three (actors *ith eigenvalue E!E, 2!E2, and 1!E; could %e e>tracted .Cattell, 1;==,

representing relatedness, autono$ and copetence, respectivel$! These three (actors e>plained


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and relatedness each contained 3 satis(action and 3 (rustration ites, the copetence scale included t, *e aied to (urther e>aine the (actor structure o( the need satis(action scale and test the

discriinant validit$ o( the di((erent su%scales! To this end, a Con(irator$ +actor Anal$sis .C+A *as

conducted, using a>iu likelihood estiation .Bollen, 1;; in Lisrel !< .RSreskog 8 Sr%o,

200planations i( the results o( the C+A in aple 2 *ould

(ail to con(ir the earlier results o%tained in the "+A in aple 1, C+A *as per(ored in %oth aple 1

and 2 .Van 9rooijen 8 van der 5loot, 2001!

?n each saple, the 3diensional odel .7odel A *as copared *ith three di((erent 2

diensional odels in *hich t*o needs *ere taken together and contrasted *ith the third need .7odel

B and *ith the 1(actor odel co%ining all three diensions .7odel "! Additionall$, the 3(actor

odel *as copared to a t*o (actor odel .7odel + di((erentiating %et*een need satis(action and

need (rustration ites! ?n addition to these (irst order (actor odels, t*o higher order (actor structures

*ere e>ained! peci(icall$, in 7odel , the three needs *ere odelled as higher order (actors *ith

each o( the %eing represented %$ a (irst order need satis(action and need (rustration coponent! ?n

7odel , the si> lo*er order (actors grouping satis(action and (rustration (or each o( the needs *ere

odelled as indicators o( t*o second order (actors representing need (rustration and need satis(action,respectivel$ .7odel !

As suggested %$ u and Bentler .1;;; odel (it *as evaluated using three goodness o( (it

indices: the -oot 7eans Fuare "rror o( Appro>iation .-7"A, the Coparative +it ?nde> .C+?

and the tandardiDed -oot 7eans Fuare -esiduals .-7-! -7"A %elo* !0 in co%ination *ith

-7- values %elo* !0; indicate e>cellent (it, *hereas values %elo* !0 and !10, respectivel$, indicate

good (it .B$rne, 2001! C+? cuto(( values o( !; indicate e>cellent (it, *hereas values o( !;0 indicate

good (it .u 8 Bentler, 1;;;! atorraMBentler caled Chi .BChi@ atorra 8 Bentler, 1;; *as used

and the atorraBentler cales ChisFuare .B, atorra 8 Bentler, 1;;


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copared to an$ other (irstorder (actor odel! All ites had signi(icant loadings .ranging (ro !0 to !

1,pO !001, *ith an average loading o( !=E in %oth saples on their intended latent (actor! +urther, the

secondorder (actor odel representing the three separate needs *as superior to the odel representing

satis(action versus (rustration! ?n su, the results o( the C+A support the 3(actor structure o( the

Fuestionnaire and indicated the distinctiveness o( the su%scales (or autono$, relatedness and

copetence! C+A, (urtherore, indicated that the 3(actor odel also $ielded good (it in aple 3,

B .132 J 23

scale)s internal structure!

9hase

represents a odel in *hich ipression anageent does not con(ound the ans*ers on the /B&!

econd, a con(ounded easureent odel *as inspected in *hich ipression anageent *as

assued to in(luence the responses on the /B&! ?n this odel, paths *ere allo*ed %et*een

ipression anageent and the indicators o( the di((erent needs, that is, the 1 need satis(action ites!

The odel (it o( this con(ounded odel *as as (ollo*s: B .1= J 2;3!,pO !001@ -7"A J !

0E@ -7- J !0, and C+? J !;2! This con(ounded odel did not $ield iproved (it copared to the

%aseline odel, B .1 J 21!3;, ns, *hich suggests that ipression anageent did not

signi(icantl$ con(ound participants) ans*ers on the /B&!

9hase : Criterionrelated and iscriinant Validit$


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The ain ai o( 9hase *as to e>aine the criterionrelated and predictive validit$ o( the /

B&! Concerning predictive validit$, (irst, *e studied the associations %et*een need satis(action and jo%

characteristics, as T aintains that need satis(action a$ help to gain insight in the otivational

ipact o( the environent! peci(icall$, as jo% resources are considered to $ield a strong otivational

ipact .Bakker 8 eerouti, 200E, *e e>ained the associations %et*een *orkrelated need

satis(action and task autono$, skill utiliDation and social support .5arasek, 1;E;! ?n line *ith previous

studies in the real o( T .agn, encal, 8 5oestner, 1;;E@ -icher, Blanchard, 8Vallerand, 2002@

Van den Broeck, et al!, 200, *e e>pected positive associations %et*een these jo% resources and need

satis(action! peci(icall$, the need (or autono$ ight %e ore closel$ related to task autono$ than

the other needs, *hereas the needs (or copetence and relatedness ight relate ost strongl$ to skill

utiliDation and social support, respectivel$!

econd, as T considers need satis(action as a necessar$ condition (or individuals) optial(unctioning, *e e>ained the associations %et*een the /B& and eplo$ees) *ell%eing, positive

*orkrelated attitudes and %ehavior! Concerning eplo$ees) *ell%eing, *e assessed jo% satis(action,

*ork engageent, %urnout, and li(e satis(action! Ro% satis(action and *ork engageent *ere selected as

a hedonic and eudaionic aspect o( *orkrelated *ell%eing, respectivel$ .5ahnean, iener, 8

ch*arD!, 1;;;@ -$an, uta, 8 eci, 200! &eed satis(action is e>pected to %e positivel$ related to

%oth! Burnout *as included to assess the criterion validit$ o( *orkrelated need satis(action *ith poor

*ell%eing, to *hich need satis(action is e>pected to relate negativel$! Li(e satis(action *as used as an

indicator o( general *ell%eing! As li(e satis(action a$ %e in(luenced %$ various aspects others than

*ork, the association *ith *orkrelated need satis(action ight %e less strong copared to the aspects

o( *orkrelated *ell%eing .Vallerand, 1;;E! Concerning *ork attitudes, (irst intrinsic otivation *as

selected, as needs are considered to %e highl$ satis(ied i( individuals are intrinsicall$ otivated .eci 8

-$an, 2000! A((ective organiDational coitent *as included as a second *orkrelated attitude, as

this ain aspect o( organiDational coitent is generall$ ost predictive o(, (or instance, jo%

satis(action, positive a((ect and ost in(luenced %$ organiDational aspects such as leadership and jo%

characteristics .Allen 8 7e$er, 1;;=! As T aintains that individuals (eel naturall$ attracted to

situations in *hich their needs can %e satis(ied, a positive association *as e>pected %et*een *ork

related need satis(action and a((ective organiDational coitent! +inall$, per(orance *as selected as

%ehavioral correlates o( need satis(action! 9er(orance and *orkrelated need satis(action *ere

e>pected to %e positivel$ correlated! 9rior to assessing the criterionrelated validit$ o( the scale, it *as

considered iportant to e>aine the potential overlap %et*een (eelings o( need satis(action,

environental aspects and eplo$ees) (unctioning! +or this purpose, *e relied on C+A!

?n addition to the criterion validit$ o( the /B&, *e e>ained its predictive validit$ in aple

< %$ relating need satis(action to turnover si> onths later! As entioned a%ove, T aintains that


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&eed satis(action at *ork 1pected correlations *ith each o(

the criterionrelated varia%les in %oth saples! ?n line *ith the h$pothesis, task autono$ *as stronger

related to the need (or autono$ than to the need (or copetence .Uaple 3J 2!,pO !01@ Uaple


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o( the scale! &o di((erences *ere, ho*ever, (ound %et*een nonleavers .7 J 3! and leavers .7 J

3!E; (or copetence satis(action@ t.230 J 1!0;@ ns!

eneral iscussion

?n T, satis(action o( the %asic needs (or autono$, copetence, and relatedness is considered

as a crucial condition (or individuals) thriving .eci 8 -$an, 2000! everal studies, across di((erent li(e

doains, have provided evidence (or this clai .e!g!, eci 8 -$an, 200! -esearch in the (ield o(

organiDational ps$cholog$, ho*ever, ight %e hapered %$ the lack o( a valid and relia%le doain

speci(ic need satis(action easure! There(ore, the purpose o( the present stud$ *as to develop and

validate such a easure!

-esults across (our saples, totaling 102 eplo$ees, provided support (or the ps$choetric

properties o( the *orkrelated %asic need satis(action scale! Across the (our saples, the scaledeonstrated a clean and accepta%le (actor structure! Consistent *ith T)s conceptualiDation o( three

distinct %asic ps$chological needs, the needs (or autono$, copetence, and relatedness *ere (ound to

%e related $et distinct, supporting their discriinant validit$! +urtherore, the satis(action and

(rustration ites needed to %e conceptualiDed as siultaneous indicators o( the higher order need

constructs, suggesting that satis(action and (rustration a$ %e conceived o( as opposite poles o( the

sae continuu tapping the needs (or autono$, copetence and relatedness! "ach o( the three

su%scales proved to have good relia%ilit$!

?n general, the three needs *ere sho*n to %e related to environental aspects and eplo$ees)

(unctioning in a predicta%le (ashion, providing evidence (or the criterionrelated validit$ o( the scale!

Concerning environental aspects, in line *ith previous research .e!g!, Van den Broeck, et al!, 200,

*orkrelated need satis(action related positivel$ to jo% resources! peci(icall$, as e>pected, task

autono$ *as ost closel$ related to autono$ satis(action and social support related strongest to

relatedness satis(action! 4ne>pectedl$, opportunities (or skill utiliDation *ere ore strongl$ related to

relatedness and autono$ than to copetence satis(action! 9erhaps the opportunit$ to %e creative and

e>ecute a highl$ skilled jo% provides eplo$ees *ith the chance to realiDe their interests and potentials,

thus contri%uting to a sense o( autono$, and also stiulates cooperation and close contact! ?n contrast,

%eing o((ered the chance to learn ne* skills ight challenge one)s copetencies %ut not necessaril$

contri%ute to copetence satis(action! &ota%l$, the correlations %et*een opportunities (or skill

utiliDation and need satis(action di((ered across aple 3 and aine *hether di((erent easures o( skill utiliDation or particular deographical varia%les ight

in(luence the results!

Consistent *ith the assuption that need satis(action relates to %oth hedonic and eudaionic

*ell%eing .-$an 8 eci, 2001, the three needs related positivel$ to jo% satis(action as *ell as to vigor!


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&eed satis(action at *ork 1=

+urther, the needs related negativel$ to e>haustion, supporting the notion that the a%sence o( need

satis(action can account (or poor *ell%eing! ?nterestingl$, the positive associations %et*een need

satis(action and *ell%eing *ere not liited to jo%related outcoes, %ut also eerged (or the ore

general and doainencopassing outcoe o( li(e satis(action! till, in line *ith our e>pectations,

autono$ and copetence satis(action related soe*hat less strongl$ to li(e satis(action than to the

aspects o( *orkrelated *ell%eing! The latter set o( (indings supports the divergent validit$ o( the

easure and highlights the iportance o( doainspeci(ic easureents! -elatedness satis(action

sho*ed a relativel$ strong correlation *ith li(e satis(action, suggesting that eaning(ul relationships at

*ork ight %e particularl$ iportant in (ostering general *ell%eing! +inall$, results con(ired the

h$pothesiDed positive associations %et*een need satis(action and intrinsic otivation, a((ective

coitent, and per(orance! ?n su, these results con(ir that need satis(action relates to eplo$ees)

optial (unctioning, in ters o( *ell%eing, attitudes as *ell as %ehavior!+inall$, the o%served positive contri%ution o( need satis(action to positive outcoes *as not

liited to concurrent associations *ith sel(report easures, %ut also eerged using an o%jective

indicator o( prospective turnover! peci(icall$, %oth autono$ and relatedness satis(action *ere

negativel$ predictive o( eplo$ees) turnover, *hich *as assessed si> onths a(ter the assessent o(

need satis(action! These (indings are consistent *ith research in other li(e doains, sho*ing that

autonoous (unctioning is associated *ith less school dropout .e!g!, Vallerand, +ortier, 8 ua$, 1;;E!

These (indings support the predictive validit$ o( the scale and con(ir once ore that need satis(action

ight %e a use(ul concept in the conte>t o( organiDational ps$cholog$!

?n su, the present results support the ps$choetric properties o( the *orkrelated need

satis(action scale! /e hope this easure a$ assist researchers *ho seek to stud$ eplo$ees) need

satis(action! The use o( a validated need satis(action easure rather than the reliance on ad hoc need

satis(action easures a$ allo* (or ore consistent crossstud$ coparisons and a$ contri%ute to a

ore uni(ied developent o( this (ield! /e %elieve that the concept o( need satis(action deserves (urther

attention as need satis(action a$ %e a po*er(ul tool to e>aine the otivational ipact o(

organiDational environents and the otivational process underl$ing eplo$ees) *ell%eing! &ota%l$,

researchers a$ *ant to use the three needs separatel$ or (ocus on one o( the, depending on their

research Fuestions! ?t *as not purpose o( the current stud$ to e>aine uniFue associations %et*een each

o( the needs and e>ternal varia%les! This ight, ho*ever, %e an iportant avenue (or (uture research as

the lack o( an association %et*een the need (or copetence and turnover in the current stud$ hints at

such potential uniFue associations o( each o( the needs!

'n the practical level, these results indicate that *orkrelated need satis(action versus (rustration

a$ have iplications (or individuals) (unctioning, %oth on the jo% and in general! "plo$ees ight

there(ore assess and onitor the need supportiveness o( their jo%s and seek (or environents *hich


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&eed satis(action at *ork 1E

nourish their otivational energ$ and stiulate optial (unctioning! &eed satis(action ight %e a point

o( interest (or organiDations as *ell! ?t ight %e a use(ul concept to assess and iprove the otivational

ipact o( organiDational aspects such as jo% design! 9a$ing attention to eplo$ees) need satis(action

ight (urtherore enhance eplo$ees) *ell%eing, attitudes, and %ehavior and, there(ore, help to reduce

costs associated *ith stress or turnover, and increase productivit$!

+imitations and Suggestions for /urther esearch

oe liitations o( this research need to %e ackno*ledged! +irst, the current easureent relies

on eplo$ees) sel(reports to assess the internal process o( need satis(action! Although the present

(indings indicate that ipression anageent did not signi(icantl$ %ias the results, (uture studies ight

e>aine *hether other ethodological arti(acts or personalit$ (actors such as positive or negative a((ect

a$ in(luence responses to the /B& .9odsako((, 7ac5enDie, Lee, 8 9odsako((, 2003! econd, thepresent (indings support the criterionrelated validit$ o( the *orkrelated need satis(action %$ eans o(

crosssectional associations .inkin, 1;;! A (irst insight in potential causal e((ects o( need satis(action

*as gained %$ e>aining the prospective association %et*een need satis(action and turnover si> onths

later! +uture studies a$, ho*ever, (urther e>aine the antecedents and conseFuences o( *orkrelated

need satis(action %$ eans o( longitudinal, crosslagged or .(ield e>periental studies! uch studies

ight, ho*ever, take into account that need satis(action is a (ast changing phenoenon *hich (luctuates

*ith altering situations! i((erences in need satis(action *ill in turn result in iediate variations in

individuals) (unctioning .-eis, et al!, 2000! Third, the present stud$ included heterogeneous as *ell as

Fuite diverse organiDationspeci(ic saples! +uture research in di((erent sectors and countries a$,

ho*ever, (urther add to the generaliDa%ilit$ o( the (indings! +uture studies a$ also ela%orate upon the

present stud$ %$ e>aining organiDational varia%les such as leadership and reuneration s$stes

.agn 8 +orest, 200 as potential antecedents o( need satis(action or e>plore the relations %et*een

need satis(action and other aspects o( eplo$ees) (unctioning, such as counterproductive %ehaviors!

/e hope that the availa%ilit$ o( a %alanced, valid, and relia%le easureent o( need satis(action

at *ork ight stiulate *ork and organiDational ps$chologists to e>aine these issues and to stud$ the

role o( need satis(action in the conte>t o( *ork in general!


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-e(erences

A%rais, !R! .1;;


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&eed satis(action at *ork 1;

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Acadeic 9ress!

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eci, "! L!, 8 -$an, -! 7! .200! +acilitating optial otivation and ps$chological *ell%eing across

li(e)s doains! 7anadian Psychology* 45*1


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RSreskog, 5! ! 8 Sr%o, ! .200

Personality and Social Psychology* 14*3;;2!

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rapport170.doc

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