Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the French-Moroccan version of the Engaging Leadership Scale among knowledge workers in Morocco

Abstract

This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the Engaging Leadership Scale (ELS) into French for use in the Moroccan context and to provide preliminary evidence on the psychometric quality of this adapted version among knowledge workers. The 12-item ELS was prepared following established cross-cultural adaptation procedures, including forward translation, back-translation, expert panel review, and pilot testing. The final version was then administered online in a cross-sectional survey of 298 participants working in Moroccan public and private organizations. Analyses focused on item performance, internal consistency of the total scale and subscales, competing factorial models, and measurement invariance across gender. The retained second-order hierarchical model fitted the data reasonably well (χ²/df = 2.27, CFI = 0.978, TLI = 0.971, RMSEA = 0.065, SRMR = 0.029). This supported the conceptualization of engaging leadership as an overarching construct. Overall scale internal consistency was excellent (α = 0.950) and ranged from acceptable to strong for the subscales (0.821–0.903). Configural, metric and scalar invariance across gender was supported. The global ELS score correlated positively with work engagement ( r = .46), supporting convergent validity. However, the relatively high correlations between the four factors may raise some concern about the discriminant validity of the ELS dimensions. Even so, the total ELS score appeared psychometrically coherent across facets in this sample, suggesting that the scale may be more convincing as a global measure than as separate facet scores. Facet-level interpretations should therefore be approached with caution. This study provides the first French-Moroccan version of the ELS with preliminary evidence of reliability, factorial validity, and convergent validity (global score correlated positively with work engagement, r = .46). It offers a useful tool for organisational research and practice in Morocco and similar Francophone organisational contexts. Not applicable.