Psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the short professional quality of life scale in nurses

Background Professional quality of life (ProQoL) encompasses the positive and negative experiences associated with one's professional role. Accurate assessment of ProQoL necessitates psychometrically sound instruments. Objective This study examined the reliability and validity of the Short Professional Quality of Life Scale (Sh-ProQoL) in a sample of Arab nurses. Methods A cross-sectional design was employed using convenience sampling. The study included 200 nurses from hospitals in Dubai. Psychometric evaluation comprised assessments of reliability and inter-scale correlations. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to determine the factor structure. Convergent validity was assessed through average variance extracted (AVE) and Pearson correlation coefficients between the Ar-Sh-ProQoL and external measures: Job Satisfaction (JS), Perceived Quality of Care (PQC), and Intention to Leave (ITL). Results The scale and its subscales demonstrated strong internal consistency, with test–retest reliability coefficients of ICC ≥ 0.70. EFA and CFA supported a 3-factor structure for the Ar-Sh-ProQoL, explaining 74.57% of the total variance. Factor loadings from EFA ranged from 0.73 to 0.87, and CFA yielded acceptable fit indices: χ 2 /df = 1.51, RMSEA = 0.05, GFI = 0.96 and CFI = 0.98. Square root AVE values ranged from 0.87 to 0.88, and AVE values ranged from 0.75 to 0.80, confirming strong discriminant and convergent validity. The scale also showed significant correlations with JS (r = 0.51), PQC (r = 0.45), and ITL (r = 0.48). Conclusion The Ar-Sh-ProQoL demonstrated robust psychometric properties and is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the ProQoL among Arab nurses.Conclusion: The Ar-Sh-ProQoL, consisting of nine items, demonstrated robust psychometric properties and is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the professional quality of life among Arab nurses.