Lack of Empathy in Managers Scale: Validity and Reliability Study

Abstract

Purpose – This study, titled “Lack of Empathy in Managers Scale: Validity and Reliability Study," developed for this purpose, aims to create a measurement tool that can be used to measure employees’ perceptions of lack of empathy in managers. Design/methodology/approach – For this purpose, a pilot application of a 74-item Likert-type draft scale was initially conducted on 225 participants from various sectors to determine the basic themes reflecting the lack of empathy in managerial behaviors. The reliability and validity of the scale were tested using internal consistency measurements (Cronbach's alpha) and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Findings – Then, for the main scale, data were collected online and voluntarily from a sample of 356 employees from various sectors. As a result of the analyses, a 28-item and one-dimensional Lack of Empathy in Managers Scale was developed. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was applied to the collected data, and factor loadings and distributions were evaluated. During the analysis, items that loaded on more than one factor and had a difference between factor loadings of less than 0.10 and items with a factor loading of less than 0.40 were excluded from the study. Items that did not meet these criteria were eliminated, and a 28-item scale of Lack of Empathy in Managers with a single-factor structure was constructed. Discussion – The analysis findings show that the scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool that can measure the lack of empathy in managers in all sectors where there is a relationship between the manager and the manager in all public and private institutions and organizations.