Cross-cultural validation of career adapt-abilities scale: five-factor vs. four-factor models: exploring bi-factor, higher-order, correlated and single order factor models

The Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS) is widely used to assess career adaptability, but its validity in diverse cultural contexts like Ethiopia is unexplored. This study aimed to adapt and validate a five-factor short form of the CAAS (CAAS-5 SF) for use in Ethiopia and compare it with CAAS-4-SF using different CFA models (Single Factor Model, Correlated Factor Model, Bi-Factor Model and Higher Order Models). A rigorous cross-cultural adaptation process was followed, and Ethiopian undergraduate students (N = 1,178) participated in the validation study. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to examine the factor structure of the CAAS-5 SF. The expanded five-factor structure provided an acceptable fit, and alternative models were also tested to make a firm conclusion. The original five-factor structure had the best fit in the correlated factor model, while the four-factor structure was the best fit in the bi-factor model, demonstrating the robustness of the CAAS-SF in Ethiopia. Measurement invariance analyses showed strong equivalence across different groups. The validated and culturally adapted CAAS-SF can now be used to assess career adaptability in Ethiopia, contributing to career development and guidance practices. Further research is recommended to explore its predictive validity and longitudinal stability in different cultural contexts using the bi-factor and correlated factor models.