Development and validation of a Japanese version of the six-factor Employee Silence Motives scale (ESM-J)

Abstract Background Employee silence is a critical phenomenon that adversely affects organizational decision-making, innovation, and ethical judgment. Japan, in particular, is characterized by collectivism and high power distance, cultural traits that may facilitate the occurrence of silence. Brinsfield developed a six-factor model among U.S. employees, but a Japanese version has not been validated. The purpose of the present study was to develop a Japanese version of the six-factor Employee Silence Motives scale (ESM-J) and to examine its reliability and validity in the Japanese context. Methods Participants were employees aged 22–64 years working in Japanese companies (primary validation sample: Sample B). Confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, reliability, and discriminant validity were examined. Correlations with psychological safety, voice behavior, and leader–member exchange (LMX) were also tested. Additionally, measurement invariance across gender (multigroup CFA), test–retest reliability (independent sample: Sample A), and item response theory analyses were conducted. Results A total of 503 participants were included in the analysis. CFA of one- through six-factor models indicated that the six-factor model from the original scaledemonstrated the best fit (CFI = 0.907, TLI = 0.896, RMSEA = 0.068 [0.064, 0.073], SRMR = 0.062). Internal consistency of the six-factor model met acceptable thresholds (≥0.70; ω = 0.77–0.89; α = 0.77–0.89). Convergent validity was supported for all six factors (CR = 0.77–0.89; AVE = 0.53–0.62). All 15 factor pairs met the HTMT < 0.90 criterion (0.49–0.89), supporting discriminant validity. Psychological safety showed significant negative correlations with all silence factors ( r = −0.22 to −0.45). Voice behavior and LMX showed significant negative correlations with five factors excluding deviant silence; deviant silence was not significantly associated with either variable. Gender measurement invariance was not rejected at the configural, metric, and scalar levels, although the female subsample was small ( n = 99) and these results are preliminary. Test–retest reliability using an independent sample (Sample A; Time 1 N = 797, Time 2 n = 664; approximately two-week interval) yielded ICC(2,1) values of 0.52–0.64 (Fair to Good). In graded response model analyses, all 29 items exhibited high discrimination (a = 1.69–3.45), and marginal reliability ranged from 0.82 to 0.91. Conclusions The present study provided initial evidence of the validity and reliability of the ESM-J primarily within a single sample (Sample B). Furthermore, the findings suggest that defensive silence may occupy a central position in the associative structure among silence motives in Japan. The results also suggest that silence motives share structural features common across cultures alongside distinct relational patterns. The ESM-J is a promising measure of employee silence in Japanese organizations; however, cross-validation in independent and more representative samples is needed before broader application can be recommended.