The work-related acceptance and action questionnaire (WAAQ): Initial psychometric findings and their implications for measuring psychological flexibility in specific contexts

Bond, Frank W.; Lloyd, Joda and Guenole, Nigel. 2013. The work-related acceptance and action questionnaire (WAAQ): Initial psychometric findings and their implications for measuring psychological flexibility in specific contexts. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 86(3), pp. 331-347. ISSN 0963-1798 [Article]

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Abstract or Description

Over the past decade, experimental and longitudinal research has shown that psychological flexibility is an important determinant of mental health and behavioral effectiveness in the workplace. These findings have been established using a general measure of this psychological process, the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire—Revised (AAQ-II). Consistent with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) theory, psychological flexibility may demonstrate even stronger associations with variables related to a work context (e.g., job satisfaction) if it were assessed using a measure of the construct that is tailored to the workplace. To test this hypothesis, we first developed such a measure, the Work-related AAQ (WAAQ). Findings from 745 participants across three studies reveal that the structure, validity and reliability of the WAAQ are satisfactory. As predicted, the WAAQ, in comparison to the AAQ-II, correlates significantly more strongly with work-specific variables. In contrast, the AAQ-II tends to correlate more strongly with outcomes that are likely to be more stable across different contexts (e.g., mental health and personality variables). These findings are discussed in relation to ACT theory.

Item Type:

Article

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12001

Keywords:

Psychological flexibility; acceptance; experiential avoidance; acceptance and commitment therapy

Related URLs:

Departments, Centres and Research Units:

Institute of Management Studies
Research Office > REF2014

Dates:

DateEvent
September 2013["eprint_fieldopt_dates_date_type_inproduction" not defined]

Item ID:

7349

Date Deposited:

02 Nov 2012 08:53

Last Modified:

29 Apr 2020 15:46

Peer Reviewed:

Yes, this version has been peer-reviewed.

URI:

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/7349

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