Measuring Internal Communication Satisfaction: Validation of the Internal Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire (ICSQ) in Italian

Frame of the research. Despite the development of internal communication in Italy, historically studies focused primarily on organizational structures and managerial processes, and no psychometrically validated instrument currently exists to measure internal communication satisfaction among Italian-speaking employees. Purpose of the paper. This paper aims to validate the Italian version of the internal communication satisfaction questionnaire (ICSQ). Methodology. The validation has been conducted leveraging the data collected in a broad three-wave, cross-national survey study, using only the data from the Italian sub-sample (348 employees). Internal consistency reliability, structural validity and model fit were assessed. Results. All eight dimensions of the ICSQ showed satisfactory internal consistency. The original eight-factor structure of the ICSQ demonstrated slightly better fit than the higher-order model. Research limitations. Results highlight the tension inherent in cross-cultural measurement between structural invariance and contextual adaptation. Managerial implications. The Italian ICSQ offers organizations a diagnostic and developmental tool to systematically assess communication effectiveness from the employee perspective. Originality of the paper. Methodologically, the paper confirms the transferability of a multidimensional measure while illustrating the importance of contextual interpretation in cross-cultural scale adaptation. Practically, it equips Italian organizations with a structured tool for diagnosing and improving their communicative environments.