# Validation of the Scale of Perceived Overqualification (SPOQ) in the Chinese Context

## TL;DR

This study validates a Chinese version of a scale that measures employees' feelings of being overqualified for their jobs.

## Contribution

The study provides a culturally adapted and validated version of the SPOQ for use in China.

## Key findings

- The SPOQ-Chinese version has a stable single-factor structure confirmed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.
- The scale shows good criterion-related validity with job and career-related variables.
- The SPOQ-Chinese version is a reliable measure of perceived overqualification in the Chinese context.

## Abstract

The present research aimed to validate the Chinese version of the Scale of Perceived Overqualification (SPOQ), which assesses employees' perceptions of possessing more knowledge, skills, and abilities than their job requires. A preliminary meta‐analytic review highlighted the need to evaluate the SPOQ's psychometric properties in different cultural contexts. In Study 1, exploratory factor analysis supported a single‐factor structure of the SPOQ‐Chinese version, and test–retest analysis confirmed its stability over a 2‐week interval. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a good model fit, further verifying the scale's structural validity. Criterion‐related validity was also supported, with significant correlations between perceived overqualification and relevant job‐related and career‐related variables. Overall, our findings suggest the SPOQ‐Chinese version is an appropriate measure of perceived overqualification among Chinese employees.