Industrial and Organizational Psychology Studies

Design and Validation of Situational Judgment Test of Managers’ Mental Toughness in Iran Alloy Steel Company

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Iman Shakeri 1
Ali Mehdad 2
Hadi Farhadi 3

1 PhD Student of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Isfahan Branch (Khorasgan), Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Isfahan Branch (Khorasgan), Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Isfahan Branch (Khorasgan), Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22055/jiops.2023.43449.1347
Abstract
Introduction
Research shows that mental toughness is effective in predicting outcomes in a variety of stressful contexts such as athletics, the military, and the workplace. Despite the existence of extensive research on mental toughness, different researchers have not reached the necessary coherence and integrity in conceptualizing and defining the dimensions of this construct. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to design and validate the situational judgment test of mental managers’ toughness of.
 
Method
This research is descriptive-survey and practical in terms of purpose. The statistical population included 196 employees (for exploratory and reliability factor analysis) and 210 separate employees (for convergent validity and confirmatory factor analysis) from the managerial ranks in Iran Alloy Company, who were selected by random stratified sampling method. In order to compile the situations and answer options of the test, the opinions of experts were used and the validity of the test was investigated using correlation methods, goodness of fit study, factor analysis, and reliability analysis.
Results
In order to investigate the validity of the situational judgment test of mental toughness several methods were used. The exploratory factor analysis with principal components method and varimax rotation, as expected, suggested a structure based on five subscales including "Attention control", "Emotion control", "Utilization of feedback", "Task persistence" and " goal attainment". Confirmatory factor analysis showed the researcher’s hypothesis that the structure is based on five components is confirmed. Also, convergent validity was confirmed by its correlation with the scores of mental toughness in the assessment center. Evaluation of internal consistency of scale by Cronbach’s alpha method and correlation of each question with the total score showed that questions of this scale have acceptable internal consistency.
 
Discussion
 The research findings showed situational judgment test of mental toughness is composed of five factors and acceptable validity and reliability. Consequently, it can be applied to measure the mental toughness of employees in complex organizational situations. This research has provided promising fields for studies that measure and develop employees’ mental toughness in the workplace.

Keywords

situational judgment test
mental toughness
factor analysis
assessment center
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Industrial and Organizational Psychology Studies
Volume 10, Issue 1
September 2023
Pages 43-56

  • Receive Date 09 April 2023
  • Revise Date 21 June 2023
  • Accept Date 16 August 2023

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