Validity of Single-item Versus Multiple-item Job Satisfaction Measures in Predicting Life: Satisfaction and Turnover Intention

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The use of single-item (SI) measures to operationalise a construct has endured extensive methodological critique, and its practical advantages over multiple-item (MI) measures pale in comparisons to the theoretical advantages of MI measures. Among constructs that have been operationalised with a single item, job satisfaction remains one of the favourites, although empirical knowledge about its validity is limited to data derived from management, marketing and human resources fields. Little is known about its validity among human service professionals. Using two cross-sectional surveys, the present article describes validity of SI versus MI measures of job satisfaction in predicting life satisfaction and turnover intention among social workers across organisations and professional specialisations, including supervisors, managers and administrators. Results in both studies suggested that SI measure of job satisfaction was methodologically and analytically suitable for examining job-related outcomes. It established convergent validity with MI job satisfaction measures and discriminant validity with job dissatisfaction measures. It demonstrated comparable demographic outcomes, association and predictive relationship with life satisfaction and turnover intention in the same magnitude as MI job satisfaction. It accounted for comparable variance in life satisfaction and turnover intention and generated bivariate, multivariate and mediation model outcomes that are systematically similar to those of MI job satisfaction measures. The article stipulates conditions for the use of SI job satisfaction measures, offers suggestions about how to resolve methodological impasse in choosing between SI and MI measures, and concludes with recommendations that include criteria for choosing between SI and MI measures for research.