Development and validation of the kindergarten teacher job crafting scale in China

BACKGROUND: Job crafting is important for kindergarten teachers' professional adaptation and well-being. However, existing measures may not adequately reflect context-specific manifestations in kindergarten settings. Grounded in the role-resource integration perspective, this study aimed to develop and validate a scale for assessing kindergarten teachers' job crafting. METHODS: In Study 1, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 43 kindergarten teachers to generate an initial item pool. In Study 2, a convenience sample of 1,224 kindergarten teachers was randomly divided into two independent subsamples. Sample 1 was used for item analysis and exploratory factor analysis. Sample 2 was used for confirmatory factor analysis and for testing reliability and validity. Measurement invariance was examined using a full sample. RESULTS: In Study 1, interviews and qualitative analyses identified the core elements of kindergarten teachers' job crafting and generation of informed items. In Study 2, exploratory factor analysis yielded a final scale comprising 16 items for approach job crafting and 13 items for avoidance job crafting. Each subscale included three dimensions: task crafting, relational crafting, and cognitive crafting. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the second-order structure of the subscales. Both subscales demonstrated good reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and criterion-related validity and showed acceptable measurement invariance across groups. CONCLUSION: The newly developed Kindergarten Teacher Job Crafting Scale demonstrates good psychometric properties. This is a reliable tool for research and practice in kindergarten management and professional teacher development.