Development of a Short Form of the Revised Japanese Work-Family Enrichment Scale

Abstract

Work-family enrichment (WFE) is a key construct in the study of work-family balance from a positive perspective. Although a substantial body of research on WFE has been accumulated internationally, studies conducted in Japan have remained limited. One possible reason is that existing scales contain a relatively large number of items, which may hinder their practical use in research settings. To address this issue, the present study aimed to develop a short form of the revised Japanese work-family enrichment scale (Japanese WFES-RS) and to examine its reliability and validity across three studies. Analyses conducted with full-time regular employees in general positions yielded the following results. The Japanese WFES-RS demonstrated a two-factor structure with adequate internal consistency (Study 1). Test-retest reliability further supported its temporal stability (Study 2). Correlations between the Japanese WFES-RS and theoretically relevant constructs (e.g., work-family conflict) were comparable to those of the full version, thereby supporting its convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity (Study 3).These findings suggest that the Japanese WFES-RS captures the construct of WFE and constitutes a reliable and valid measure for application in future research.