The Development and Validation of the Leader as Security Provider Scale
In three studies we examined, from an attachment perspective, the utility and the validity of a scale assessing followers’ perceptions of leaders as security providers (LSPS). Based on the literature, we designed a 15-item scale tapping the five functions of a security-enhancing attachment figure (s...
| Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | article |
| Publication Date: | 2019 |
| Country: | España |
| Institution: | Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid |
| Repository: | Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:journals.copmadrid.org:jwop/art/jwop2019a20 |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5093/jwop2019a20 |
| Access Level: | Open access |
| Keyword: | Follower-leader bond, Burnout, Transformational leadership, Authentic leadership, Attachment figure. Vínculo seguidor-líder, Agotamiento emocional, Liderazgo transformador, Liderazgo auténtico, Figura de apego. |
| Summary: | In three studies we examined, from an attachment perspective, the utility and the validity of a scale assessing followers’ perceptions of leaders as security providers (LSPS). Based on the literature, we designed a 15-item scale tapping the five functions of a security-enhancing attachment figure (secure base, safe haven, proximity seeking, emotional ties, and separation distress) within organizational contexts. The scale showed acceptable reliability and a one-factor structure in all the studies. In Study 1 (N = 237), the LSPS was positively associated with transformational leadership and inversely associated with passive-avoidant leadership. Moreover, employees’ perceptions of their leader as a security provider made a unique contribution to their satisfaction with the manager and perception of the manager’s efficacy. In Study 2 (N = 263), the LSPS was positively associated with authentic leadership. Employees’ ratings of their leader on the LSPS were positively associated with employees’ organizational identification, work engagement, and work satisfaction. In Study 3 (N = 263), we found that employees’ perceptions of their leader as a security provider had a protective effect on their job burnout. The findings indicate that research on the follower-leader relationship can benefit from the adoption of an attachment perspective. |
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