Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Social Worker Satisfaction Scale

Abstract

Purpose: Job satisfaction in social work has been widely studied, and yet continuity measurement tools utilized to assess job satisfaction among social workers are rare. The purpose of this study was to validate the use of the Social Work Satisfaction Scale (SWSS) with U.S.-based social workers. Moreover, we sought to examine the validity of the scale across rural, suburban, and urban designations. Method: A sample of U.S.-based social workers ( N = 1,764) were recruited via social media to participate in an online survey that collected demographic information and assessed job satisfaction using the SWSS. Descriptive statistics were generated. MPlus (8.5) was used to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis of the SWSS. Results: Results indicate the SWSS is an appropriate measure to use with U.S.-based social workers across geographic settings. Discussion: The SWSS can assist social work-employing organizations seeking to better understand the multidimensional nature of job satisfaction.