This study
evaluated the effect of item inversion on the construct validity and
reliability of psychometric scales and proposed a theoretical framework for the
evaluation of the psychometric properties of data gathered with psychometric
instruments. To this propose, we used the Maslach Burnout Inventory, which is
the most used psychometric inventory to measure burnout in different
professional context (Students, Teachers, Police, Doctors, Nurses, etc…). The
version of the MBI used was the MBI-Student Survey (MBI-SS). This inventory is
composed of three key dimensions: Exhaustion, Cynicism and Professional
Efficacy. The two first dimensions—which have positive formulated items—are
moderate to strong positive correlated, and show moderate to strong negative
correlations with the 3rd dimension—which has negative formulated items. We
tested the hypothesis that, in college students, formulating the 3rd dimension
of burnout as Inefficacy (reverting the
negatively worded items in the Efficacy dimension) improves the
correlation of the 3rd dimension with the other two dimensions, improves its
internal consistency, and the overall MBI-SS’ construct validity and
reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis results, estimated by Maximum
Likelihood, revealed adequate factorial fit for both forms of the MBI-SS (with
Efficacy) vs. the MBI-SSi (with Inefficacy). Also both forms showed adequate
convergent and discriminant related validity. However, reliability and
convergent validity were higher for the MBI-SSi. There were also stronger
(positive) correlations between the 3 factors in MBI-SSi than the ones observed
in MBI-SS. Results show that positively rewording of the 3rd dimension of the
MBI-SS improves its validity and reliability. We therefore propose that the 3rd
dimension of the MBI-SS should be named Professional Inefficacy and its items
should be positively worded.