Development of a fear of managing scale in the healthcare sector

Aim: The primary aim of this study is to develop a measurement tool that captures the fear experiences perceived and internalized by healthcare managers during the exercise of their managerial authority. The absence of quantitative research in the literature addressing this phenomenon necessitated the development of a new scale. The resulting scale is intended to support future empirical research by detecting the existence and levels of the so-called "fear of managing" experienced by healthcare managers. Material and Method: This study was conducted with the participation of 231 healthcare managers working in hospitals affiliated with the Ordu Provincial Directorate of Health under the Turkish Ministry of Health. An initial item pool consisting of 45 items was generated by the researcher and academic advisor. For content validity purposes, the items were reviewed by faculty members from the departments of health management at various universities. Based on expert evaluations, 15 items were removed, resulting in a final 30-item version of the Fear of Managing Scale in the Healthcare Sector, constructed using the Davis technique. The dataset was subjected to descriptive statistical analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and validity and reliability tests. All analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 27.0 and AMOS software. The statistical tests were conducted at a confidence interval of 95%. Results: In our study, the theoretical foundation was established through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and the model was confirmed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The statistical findings demonstrated that the scale items successfully measure the intended psychological construct. Consequently, the developed Fear of Managing in the Healthcare Sector Scale has been shown to be a reliable and valid instrument for scientific research in terms of both structural validity and internal consistency. Conclusions: This study contributes to the literature by providing a theoretically grounded and psychometrically validated tool that enables the identification and measurement of fear-based experiences among healthcare managers. The findings are expected to support the development of evidence-based strategies aimed at enhancing managerial confidence and improving organizational decision-making in the healthcare sector. Keywords: Fear, healthcare management, organizational behavior, fear of managing, scale development, psychometrics