Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Leader Member Exchange Scale (LMX-7): A Validation Study

Marzia Lommi¹, Ippolito Notarnicola², Rosario Caruso^{3

4}, Laura Iacorossi⁵, Francesca Gambalunga⁶, Laura Sabatino², Roberto Latina⁷, Teresa Rea⁸, Assunta Guillari⁹, Maddalena De Maria¹, Rocco Mazzotta¹, Gennaro Rocco^{2

10}, Alessandro Stievano¹¹, Raffaella Gualandi¹², Daniela Tartaglini^{12

13}, Dhurata Ivziku¹²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
² Centre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship, Order of Nurses of Rome, 00173 Rome, Italy.
³ Clinical Research Service, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, 20097 Milano, Italy.
⁴ Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milano, Italy.
⁵ Nursing Research Unit IFO, IRCCS Regina Elena, National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy.
⁶ Department of Health Professions (DAPS), University Hospital "Policlinico Umberto I", 00161 Rome, Italy.
⁷ Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialities, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
⁸ Public Health Department, University of Naples Federico 2, 80131 Naples, Italy.
⁹ Department of Nursing, Federico 2 Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy.
¹⁰ Department of Health Professions, Catholic University "Our Lady of Good Counsel", 1000 Tirana, Albania.
¹¹ Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy.
¹² Department of Health Professions, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, Italy.
¹³ Vice President Italian Society for the Direction and Management in Nursing (SIDMI), 00198 Rome, Italy.

PMID: 37444791
PMCID: PMC10341434
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11131957

Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Leader Member Exchange Scale (LMX-7): A Validation Study

Marzia Lommi et al. Healthcare (Basel). 2023.

. 2023 Jul 6;11(13):1957.

doi: 10.3390/healthcare11131957.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
² Centre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship, Order of Nurses of Rome, 00173 Rome, Italy.
³ Clinical Research Service, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, 20097 Milano, Italy.
⁴ Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milano, Italy.
⁵ Nursing Research Unit IFO, IRCCS Regina Elena, National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy.
⁶ Department of Health Professions (DAPS), University Hospital "Policlinico Umberto I", 00161 Rome, Italy.
⁷ Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialities, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
⁸ Public Health Department, University of Naples Federico 2, 80131 Naples, Italy.
⁹ Department of Nursing, Federico 2 Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy.
¹⁰ Department of Health Professions, Catholic University "Our Lady of Good Counsel", 1000 Tirana, Albania.
¹¹ Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy.
¹² Department of Health Professions, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, Italy.
¹³ Vice President Italian Society for the Direction and Management in Nursing (SIDMI), 00198 Rome, Italy.

PMID: 37444791
PMCID: PMC10341434
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11131957

Abstract

For decades, scholars have studied leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships to understand and explain the effects of leadership on follower attitudes and performance outcomes within work settings. One available instrument to measure these aspects is the LMX-7 scale. This measurement has been widely used in empirical studies, but its psychometric properties have been poorly explored. The aim of this study was to test the psychometric characteristics (content, structural and construct validity, and reliability) of the Italian version of the LMX-7 scale and to support its cultural adaptation. We used a cross-sectional multi-center design. The forward-backward translation process was used to develop the Italian version of the scale. The scale was administered through an online survey to 837 nurses and nurse managers working in different settings. The factorial structure was tested using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA), and reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. For the construct validity, we used hypothesis testing and differentiation by known groups. The Italian version of the LMX-7 scale presented one dimension. All the psychometric tests performed confirmed its validity and suggested its usefulness for future research.

Keywords: LMX-7; instrument; leadership; leader–member exchange relationships; measurement; nurse manager; nurses; psychometric; reliability and validity.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Model of the CFA performed on the LMX-7 scale.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

Cited by

Exploring Nurses' Quit Intentions: A Structural Equation Modelling and Mediation Analysis Based on the JD-R and Social Exchange Theories.
Ivziku D, Duka B, Dervishi A, Filomeno L, Polverini F, Notarnicola I, Stievano A, Rocco G, Gonzalez CIA, Podgorica N, D'Angelo D, De Benedictis A, De Micco F, Gualandi R, Lommi M, Tartaglini D. Ivziku D, et al. Healthcare (Basel). 2025 Mar 21;13(7):692. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13070692. Healthcare (Basel). 2025. PMID: 40217990 Free PMC article.
Trust in the Leader, Organizational Commitment, and Nurses' Intention to Leave-Insights from a Nationwide Study Using Structural Equation Modeling.
Ivziku D, Biagioli V, Caruso R, Lommi M, De Benedictis A, Gualandi R, Tartaglini D. Ivziku D, et al. Nurs Rep. 2024 Jun 10;14(2):1452-1467. doi: 10.3390/nursrep14020109. Nurs Rep. 2024. PMID: 38921719 Free PMC article.
Assessment of the Psychometric Characteristics of the Italian Version of the Nurse Manager Actions Scale.
Lommi M, Caruso R, Conte G, Magon A, Porcelli B, Stievano A, Rocco G, Notarnicola I, Sabatino L, Latina R, De Maria M, Di Simone E, De Benedictis A, Gualandi R, Tartaglini D, Ivziku D. Lommi M, et al. Nurs Rep. 2023 Sep 1;13(3):1185-1202. doi: 10.3390/nursrep13030102. Nurs Rep. 2023. PMID: 37755345 Free PMC article.

References

1. Scandura T.A. Essentials of Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach. 1st ed. Sage Publications; Newbury Park, CA, USA: 2022.
1. Gotfredson D.R., Adams S.L. Socialization of Newcomers in the Workplace. In: Rogelberg S.G., editor. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. 2nd ed. Sage Publications; Newbury Park, CA, USA: 2020. pp. 1394–1397.
1. Hanasono L.K. The Sourcebook of Listening Research: Methodology and Measures. John and Wiley; Hoboken, NJ, USA: 2017. Leader-Member Exchange 7 Questionnaire (LMX-7) (Graen & Uhl-Blen, 1995) pp. 354–360. - DOI
1. Scandura T.A., Meuser J.D. Relational Dynamics of Leadership: Problems and Prospects. Annu. Rev. Organ. Psychol. Organ. Behav. 2022;9:309–337. doi: 10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012420-091249. - DOI
1. Gottfredson R.K., Wright S.L., Heaphy E.D. A critique of the Leader-Member Exchange construct: Back to square one. Leadersh. Q. 2020;31:101385. doi: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2020.101385. - DOI

Grants and funding

3.22.2/Centre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship (CECRI), Order of Nurses of Rome, Italy

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Leader Member Exchange Scale (LMX-7): A Validation Study

Affiliations

Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Leader Member Exchange Scale (LMX-7): A Validation Study

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

Similar articles

Cited by

References

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources