Abstract

GARRIDO, Margarida V.; LOPES, Diniz  and  CALHEIROS, Maria Manuela. Adaptation and validation of a questionnaire of organizational climate for social welfare organizations. Psicologia [online]. 2011, vol.25, n.2, pp.135-162. ISSN 0874-2049.

The present study aims at adapting and validating an organizational climate questionnaire for social organizations, based on the Organizational Climate Survey (The University of Tennessee: Children’s MentalHealth Services Research Center, 2000), using a sample of professionals working in several social welfare organizations. The original instrument entails a multidimensional approach to the concept of climate and is characterized by a structure with four general themes (climate, structure, technology and work attitudes). After translating the instrument and in order to explore the psychometric characteristics of the Portuguese version we analyzed the factorial structure through confirmatory factorial analyses, reliability, sensitivity and criterion-related validity. Results from confirmatory factorial analysis indicate that the original model is supported in only three of the four factors of the original questionnaire. Reliability analyses showed adequate levels of internal consistency for each factor and sensitivity analysis suggested that the instrument is sensitive to individual differences. Criterion-related validation results (i.e., concurrent validity) showed preliminary evidence for the association of the dimensions of organizational climate with respondents’ perceptions of satisfaction and organizational commitment.

Keywords : organizational climate; social welfare organizations; validation; sensitivity.

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