Assessing the validity and reliability of the German version of the leader as a security provider scale (LSPS)
Ekaterina Uglanova, Ana Laguía, Christiane R. Stempel, Juan Antonio Moriano · Current Psychology · 2026
Abstract The present study examines the adaptation and validation of the Leader as a Security Provider Scale (LSPS), a scale designed to measure Secure Base Leadership (SBL), in a German organizational context. Data were collected from 402 employees across diverse organizations (65.4% female; M = 38.3 years, SD = 11.4). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the unidimensional structure of the LSPS and showed satisfactory psychometric properties. Evidence for concurrent validity was obtained, with SBL correlating positively with transformational leadership and negatively with laissez-faire leadership. Furthermore, correlations between SBL scores and related constructs were consistent with theoretical expectations: SBL was positively associated with work engagement, job satisfaction, task and contextual performance, positive affect, psychological safety, perceived organizational support, organizational trust, organizational citizenship behavior, organization-based self-esteem, organizational identification, and affective organizational commitment, while negatively associated with organizational cynicism and counterproductive work behavior. These findings support the German version of the LSPS (LSPS-G) as a reliable and valid instrument for assessing SBL. By extending previous validations in Spain, France, and Slovakia, this study reinforces the cross-cultural applicability of the scale and provides a foundation for international research on SBL in organizational settings.