Psychometric evaluation of the workplace gaslighting scale among Pakistani nurses

Background & Aim: Gaslighting is a subtle yet harmful form of psychological manipulation, and healthcare environments are particularly vulnerable to such behaviors. Nurses are at increased risk, as gaslighting can undermine confidence, impair performance, and threaten patient safety. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Workplace Gaslighting Scale among Pakistani nurses. Methods & Materials: A cross-sectional psychometric study was conducted with 217 nurses from public and private hospitals in Pakistan. Face, content, construct, convergent, and discriminant validity were assessed, and internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test model structures, and known-groups validity was examined across demographic and professional subgroups. Analyses were performed using AMOS 26 and Jamovi 2.4.14. Results: Internal consistency was high for the dimensions of Trivialization (α= 0.906; ω=0.908) and Affliction (α=0.925; ω=0.929). Convergent validity was established (AVE=0.581 and 0.713; CR = 0.905 and 0.926). Due to a very high inter-factor correlation (r=0.92), indicating a lack of discriminant validity, the dimensions were not supported as independent constructs. Instead, a second-order model demonstrated acceptable fit (CFI=0.947, IFI=0.947, CMIN/DF= 3.292), confirming they merge into a single, unified workplace gaslighting construct. Known-groups validity was indicated by higher overall scores among nurses in private hospitals compared to public hospitals (p=0.004) and a positive association with years of experience (p=0.004). Conclusion: The Workplace Gaslighting Scale demonstrated acceptable reliability and a coherent second‑order factor structure, although certain limitations, including a high RMSEA value and lack of discriminant validity in the first‑order model, indicate that further validation with larger and more diverse samples is needed.