‘Shared job strain’: A new approach for assessing the validity of job stress measurements

Abstract

While problems of self‐report measures of work stress have long been recognized, those of more ‘objective’ measures are often underestimated. Combining both in structural equation models yields more valid estimates, yet correlations with indicators of well‐being or strain rarely exceed .30. To decide whether this is due to insufficient validity of instruments or to the multi‐causal aetiology of well‐being, the concept of ‘shared job strain’ is introduced. This is a latent variable, with individual symptoms of strain of two workers holding the same job as indicators. Thus, it represents the strain that these two workers have in common, while truly individual variance is removed. It should, therefore, show much higher correlations with job stressors than do individual symptoms of strain. To estimate stressors, self‐reports of the two workers and of two independent observers are used as indicators. Four stressors explained two‐thirds of the variance in ‘shared job strain’. It is concluded (a) that estimating latent job stressors on the basis of self‐report and observer indicators yields highly valid measurement and (b) that the substantive argument is supported. There probably is an upper limit of 15 to 20 per cent variance in total strain symptoms that can be explained by job stressors.

Switching Off Mentally: Predictors and Consequences of Psychological Detachment From Work During Off-Job Time.

“…Specifically, participants reported their chronic work hours by responding to an item in the questionnaire ("How many hours per week do you actually work for your job?"). Chronic time pressure was measured with five 5-point Likert items (1 ϭ very seldomly/never to 5 ϭ very often) from the time pressure scale developed by Semmer (1984) and Zapf (1993), a measure that is often used in German speaking countries for assessing quantitative workload (Frese, 1985;Garst, Frese, & Molenaar, 2000;Semmer, Zapf, & Greif, 1996; Cronbach's ␣ ϭ .79). A sample item was "How often do you work under time pressure?"…”

Emotion work and emotional exhaustion in teachers: the job and individual perspective

“…Semmer, Zapf and Greif (1996) argued that job stressors will seldom explain more than 10% of the variance in work-related outcome measures. In our study almost 20% of the variance in emotional exhaustion was explained.…”

Job stress interventions and the organization of work

“…Finally, such competences may well be useful for dealing with stress outside work-and it must be kept in mind that work is an important factor for health, but certainly not the only one. The variance explained by work can be estimated to be around 15% (37).…”