The Work Craving Scale (WCS): A Validity and Reliability Analysis

Jacek Buczny , Kamila Wojdyło

Abstract

In the article, we present the theoretical foundations, construction, and validity and reliability analyses of the Work Craving Scale (WCS), a new measure of workaholism based on Work Craving Theory (WCT; Wojdylo, 2013a, 2016). Work craving is defined as a subjective state , an inner drive to compensate negative emotions through performance-conditioned self-worth and neurotic perfectionism in work-related activities. The WCS comprises four dimensions: (1) obsessive-compulsive desire for work, (2) anticipation of compensation for low self-worth, (3) anticipation of reduction of negative emotions and withdrawal symptoms resulting from working, and (4) neurotic perfectionism. Results of CFA (n = 1273; CFI = 0.92; RMSEA = 0.071) confirmed the four-factorial structure of the WCS and showed it had a good construct validity. Results of criterion analyses showed a good validity of the WCS as work craving correlated positively with unmitigated communion, unmitigated agency and negative emotions but negatively with self-esteem and positive emotions.