Assessment of Work Engagement in Patients with Hematological Malignancies: Psychometric Properties of the German Version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale 9 (UWES-9)

Objective: Our purpose was the psychometric evaluation of the German version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-9 (UWES-9), a self-assessment tool measuring work-related resources consisting of 9 items. Methods: Based on a sample of 179 patients with hematological malignancies in in-patient and rehabilitative oncological settings, we tested the dimensional structure by confirmatory and explorative factor analysis. We further evaluated reliability, item characteristics, and construct validity of the UWES-9. Results: The confirmatory factor analysis showed acceptable fit for both a 1-dimensional factor structure and the original 3-factor model. Based on an explorative principal component analysis, we were able to replicate the 1-dimensional factor accounting for 67% of the total variance and showing very high internal consistency (=0.94) and high factor loads (0.73-0.88). The construct validity was further supported by significant positive correlations between work engagement and meaning of work, corporate feeling, commitment to the workplace, and job satisfaction. Conclusion: The German version of the UWES-9 shows good psychometric qualities in measuring dedication to work in patients with hematological malignancies in in-patient and rehabilitative oncological settings.