Self-Reported Use of Sick Days

Abstract

The Self-Reported Use of Sick Days instrument is a brief, 10-item questionnaire developed primarily to assess the frequency and underlying causes of absenteeism among educational professionals, particularly teachers. It moves beyond simple quantification of sick leave used by exploring crucial contextual factors such as the availability of allotted days, the ability to accrue unused days, and the financial incentives related to reimbursement. Crucially, the instrument focuses on identifying instances where sick leave was utilized due to job-related stress or other psychological factors, directly linking work environment demands to observable behavioral outcomes in the teaching profession.

Keywords

Sick leave, teacher absenteeism, job stress, educational psychology, self-report, sick day accrual, work-related stress, teacher retention.

Authors

Green, Georgina Ruth

Purpose

The primary purpose of this instrument is twofold: first, to gather quantitative data regarding the actual number of sick days utilized by educators during a specific period (e.g., the previous school year); and second, to investigate the systemic and psychological variables influencing the use of those days. This includes examining the relationship between employee benefits (such as accrual and reimbursement policies) and reported usage rates, which may influence decisions regarding attendance or departure from the profession.

A secondary, yet critical, purpose is the identification of stress-related absenteeism. By directly asking respondents if they have used sick days due to feeling stressed or if they have taken medical leave for stress-related illness, the instrument aims to provide empirical evidence linking occupational demands in teaching to mental health consequences and subsequent time off work, which is vital for organizational and policy development.

Construct

This instrument primarily measures the Behavioral Manifestation of Absenteeism and related Employment Policy Awareness. It operationalizes absenteeism not merely as a count of days missed, but as a complex behavior influenced by emotional state (stress), institutional policy (accrual rates, allotment), and major life events (maternity or prolonged medical leave). The items quantify both the frequency of leave taken and the administrative context surrounding that leave.

The core psychological construct explored is the degree to which perceived occupational burnout and stress translate into observable, self-reported instances of taking sick leave. The final two items explicitly quantify the frequency of using sick days specifically for stress management, offering a direct, self-reported measure of stress-avoidance behavior in the workplace context.

Validity

Formal psychometric validation data for this specific 10-item instrument, separate from the overarching dissertation findings, is not widely documented. However, its face validity is considered strong, as the items directly query the intended constructs: specific sick day usage counts and detailed policy knowledge. The instrument was utilized within a larger study investigating complex correlational relationships between absenteeism, job satisfaction, stress, and depression, suggesting its utility in establishing concurrent validity within that specific research context.

Reliability

As a brief, primarily quantitative and demographic self-report measure focusing on factual usage (e.g., “how many days did you use?”), standard internal consistency measures (like Cronbach’s Alpha) are not typically applied or relevant to all items. For the items focusing on stress-related usage (Items 8, 9, 10), reliability depends heavily on the respondent’s accurate memory recall and honest reporting, which are known limitations of self-report methodologies. Specific test-retest reliability data for the instrument is not reported in the originating source material.

Factor Analysis

Given the heterogeneous nature of the 10 items—which combine quantitative counts, categorical policy questions, and dichotomous (Yes/No) indicators of stress and medical history—a traditional exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis is unlikely to be appropriate for the entire instrument. The instrument functions more effectively as a structured survey battery, designed to collect distinct variables for use in regression and correlational analyses within the larger study, rather than as a single, unidimensional scale requiring factor reduction.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-Report Questionnaire/Survey

Format: Mixed-format, including open-ended numerical responses, multiple-choice categories, and dichotomous (Yes/No) questions.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Educational Professionals (Teachers, Educators)

Age Group: Adult (Working professionals)

Population Details: The instrument was designed and utilized within research focusing on teachers in the United States, investigating links between job stress, institutional policies, and subsequent absenteeism rates.

Test Methodology: Administration typically occurs via paper-and-pencil or online survey formats alongside other established psychological measures (e.g., job satisfaction scales, depression inventories) as part of a larger correlational study.

Keywords

Teacher welfare, sick day policy, employee benefits, occupational health, psychological health, self-report, Green 2014.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 2014 (Developed as part of the cited dissertation).

Permissions and Fee: As the instrument originated in an academic dissertation, it is generally available for non-commercial academic research use. Researchers should formally contact the author, Green, Georgina Ruth, for specific usage permissions. No specific fee structure is documented.

Reference’s

• Green, Georgina Ruth. “Study To Investigate Self-Reported Teacher Absenteeism And Desire To Leave Teaching As They Relate To Teacher-Reported Teaching Satisfaction, Job-Related Stress, Symptoms Of Depression, Irrational Beliefs, And Self-Efficacy” (2014). Dissertations and Theses, 2014-Present. Paper 319.

The original PDF dissertation containing this instrument can be downloaded here: http://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1318&context=gc_etds

Items of the Self-Reported Use of Sick Days

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. Approximately how many sick days did you use during the previous school year? _______
2. How many sick days and personal days combined are you allotted per year by your school district? Less than 10, 10. More than 10
3. Are you able to accrue unused sick days? Yes/ No
4. If so, how many sick days do you have in your bank? ______
5. Do you have the option to be reimbursed for unused sick days? Yes/No
6. Have you used a significant portion of accrued sick days for maternity leave or due to a prolonged medical leave because of an illness? Yes/ No
7. Have you had medical leave due to a stress related illness? Yes/ No
8. Have you ever felt so stressed that you wanted to take a day off work? Yes/ No
9. Have you ever used a sick day because you felt stressed? Yes/ No
10. If so, approximately how many times in the last year have you used a sick day due to feeling stressed? 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6, 6-7, 7-8, 8-9, 9-10, more than 10 days