TITLE:
Assessing Psychological Safety: Correlates of a New Scale
AUTHORS:
Adrian Furnham, George Horne, Jessica Ross, Amanda Potter
KEYWORDS:
Attachment, Psychological Safety, Mutual Trust, Support
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.16 No.11,
November
5,
2025
ABSTRACT: This paper examines correlates of a new short measure of Psychological Safety (PS). In all, 408 adults completed a new and an existing five-factor Psychological Safety measure, as well as measures of the Big Five, Work Attachment, Self-compassion, and an IQ test. The two Psychological Safety measures were closely related providing concurrent validity. Correlation analyses and regressions indicated that the three Work Attachment factors (Secure, Avoidant, Anxious) were most closely related to Psychological Safety. Gender, personality (Extraversion, Openness) and intelligence were the most significant factors in the regression onto the total score. Regression onto the five factors indicated the importance of Secure Attachment (positively) and Anxious Attachment (negatively). Implications for the definition and measurement of Psychological Safety are considered. Limitations of the study are noted.