Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop a multidimensional scale for assessing maladaptive personality traits in organizational settings and to establish its reliability and validity. This process involved several stages of item development and validation, resulting in the Workplace Maladaptive Personality Inventory (WMPI). Initially, items were developed based on the Maladaptive Personality Traits Model (Skodol et al., 2011). These items underwent content validity evaluation by subject matter experts and were refined through exploratory structural equation modeling analysis using data from a sample of Korean employees (N = 557). In Study 1, the final WMPI scale was developed based on the analysis of data from another Korean employee sample (N = 444). Additionally, the relationships between WMPI maladaptive personality traits, the Big Five personality traits, and criterion variables were analyzed to establish convergent and criterion validity. In Study 2, the factor structure of the WMPI was cross-validated using data from an independent Korean employee sample (N = 550), and test-retest reliability was estimated alongside further evidence collection for convergent and discriminant validity. Overall, the results demonstrate that the WMPI is a valid and reliable measurement tool for assessing maladaptive personality traits in organizational settings.