Narratability Scale (NScale)

Abstract

The Escala da Narrabilidade (ENa), or Narrability Scale, is a psychological instrument developed by Koltermann and Nunes in 2023 specifically for the Brazilian cultural context. This measure aims to evaluate an individual’s level of narratability, which is defined as the crucial capacity to articulate, identify, and communicate significant events from one’s personal history, linking them together with a strong sense of continuity and cohesion.

The scale’s theoretical foundation is rooted in the Life Design Model (MLD), as conceptualized by Savickas et al. (2009). This model emphasizes the central role of narrative construction and identity processes in effective Career Guidance and interventions. The initial development involved generating 55 items, followed by rigorous content validation by expert judges, which reduced the pool to 36 items. Subsequent semantic analysis confirmed the clarity and comprehensibility of these final items among the target population, although the development study did not report results pertaining to factor analysis or reliability coefficients.

Keywords

Career Narratability, Life Design Model, Narratives, Meaningful Events, Career Development, Meaningfulness, Models, Employee Well Being, Workplace Health and Well Being Measures.

Authors

Koltermann, João Paulo; Nunes, Maiana Farias Oliveira.

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Purpose

The primary objective of the Escala da Narrabilidade (ENa) is to provide a standardized, context-specific measure for assessing the construct of career narratability. Its development was tailored specifically to the Brazilian cultural and linguistic context, ensuring relevance for local Career Guidance practices and research aimed at understanding how individuals construct meaning from their vocational histories.

Construct

The instrument is designed to measure Career-Specific Narratability. This construct reflects an individual’s ability to structure their professional experiences and transitions into a coherent and continuous life story, which is a key component emphasized by the Life Design Model for successful vocational adaptation and identity formation.

Validity

Evidence supporting the validity of the ENa was established primarily through thorough content validation procedures. The initial pool of items was reviewed by a panel of seven expert judges, all holding advanced degrees (Master’s and/or Doctorates) in Psychology. For the 36 items retained for the final version of the scale, an absolute agreement percentage of 98% was achieved among the expert judges, indicating high content relevance and clarity.

Additionally, a semantic analysis was conducted with the target population to ensure the linguistic clarity and comprehensibility of the items. During this phase, 21 items received minor wording modifications to improve clarity, 15 items were approved without any changes, and no items were eliminated, further reinforcing the scale’s initial validity evidence.

Reliability

At the time of the scale’s initial development and publication, specific psychometric data pertaining to the scale’s reliability (such as internal consistency coefficients or test-retest stability) were not available or reported in the foundational study.

Factor Analysis

The initial development study focused exclusively on content validation and semantic procedures. Consequently, empirical data regarding the underlying latent structure of the scale, such as results from Exploratory or Confirmatory Factor Analysis, were not yet available.

Instrument

Test Type: This is an original instrument developed by Koltermann and Nunes.

Format: The instrument is an inventory or questionnaire composed of 36 items.

Language Available: The scale is currently available in Portuguese.

Population Group: The measure is intended for use with human populations, encompassing both males and females.

Age Group: It is designed for adults aged 18 years and older, covering young adulthood (18-29 years), the thirties (30-39 years), and middle age (40-64 years). The development sample ranged in age from 22 to 58 years.

Population Details: The ENa was developed and validated specifically for use with people from the general population in Brazil.

Test Methodology: The development methodology focused on rigorous content validity procedures, including expert judge analysis and semantic analysis with the target population to ensure comprehensibility. Administration is conducted through an interview format.

Keywords

Career Narratability, Life Design Model, Narratives, Meaningful Events, Career Development, Meaningfulness, Models, Employee Well Being, Workplace Health and Well Being Measures.

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Authors

The authors associated with the development of the ENa are João Paulo Koltermann and Maiana Farias Oliveira Nunes.

• Koltermann, João Paulo

  • Author ORCID Identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8589-4722

  • Affiliation: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

  • Email addresses: [email protected]

• Nunes, Maiana Farias Oliveira

  • Author ORCID Identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8557-0133

  • Affiliation: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

  • Email addresses: [email protected]

  • Correspondence Address: UFSC Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade, Centro de Filosofia e Ciencias Humanas, Florianopolis, Brazil, 88040900, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Escala da Narrabilidade was developed in 2023. It is classified as a non-commercial instrument, and there is no fee associated with its use. For official permissions, collaborative research, or further inquiries, interested parties should contact the corresponding author, Maiana Farias Oliveira Nunes.

Reference’s

Koltermann, J. P., & Nunes, M. F. O. (2023). Construção e evidências iniciais de validade de conteúdo da Escala da Narrabilidade [Construction and initial evidence of content validity of the Narratability Scale]. Revista Brasileira de Orientação Profissional, 24(1), 87–97. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26707/1984-7270/2023v24n108

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Items of the Escala da Narrabilidade (ENa)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The 36 items that constitute the Narrability Scale (ENa) are not available in the provided source material.