Subjective satisfaction and stress of work and occupation

Abstract

The scale, developed by Weyer, Hodapp, and Neuhäuser (1980), is designed to assess the subjective experience of employment, focusing specifically on three core dimensions: satisfaction, stress/load, and working atmosphere (Betriebsklima). The theoretical foundation of the instrument is derived from the Lazarus stress model (1966). The questionnaire consists of 30 dichotomous items across its subscales and demonstrates strong psychometric properties, notably very high internal consistency, with estimated reliability coefficients ranging from .93 to .94. Furthermore, the instrument is confirmed to be scalable according to the Rasch model, supporting its unidimensional measurement capability within each subscale.

Keywords

working conditions, affective attitude, satisfaction, working atmosphere, stress model, occupational stress, job satisfaction, Rasch scaling

Authors

Weyer, Hodapp, Neuhäuser, Giegler

Purpose

The primary objective of this questionnaire is the comprehensive assessment of an individual’s subjective experience related to their professional life and employment. It specifically aims to quantify the degree of job satisfaction, the level of perceived stress or burden (Belastung), and the quality of the working atmosphere (Betriebsklima).

The instrument is structured to capture these three distinct domains, providing researchers and practitioners with separate scores that reflect different facets of the work experience, allowing for detailed analysis of potential sources of discomfort or satisfaction in the workplace.

Construct

The scale operationalizes three main constructs, derived from the Lazarus stress model (1966), which posits that stress arises from an appraisal of the demands of the environment relative to one’s resources. The three measured dimensions are:

• Arbeits- und Berufszufriedenheit (Work and Occupational Satisfaction): Measures the affective attitude towards one’s occupation, encompassing interest, fulfillment, and general contentment with the job role.
• Positives Betriebsklima (Positive Working Climate): Assesses the quality of interpersonal relationships and the overall atmosphere within the workplace, focusing on trust, reliability among colleagues, and absence of conflict.
• Arbeits- und Berufsbelastung (Work and Occupational Stress/Load): Measures the subjective perception of demands, time pressure, exhaustion, and the feeling of being overwhelmed or inadequate in meeting job requirements.

Validity

Initial documentation noted a lack of explicit validity indicators. However, subsequent analyses, particularly the confirmation of the scale’s adherence to the Rasch model, provide strong evidence for the internal validity and unidimensionality of the retained subscales.

The Rasch scalability of the three primary factors (Work and Occupational Satisfaction, Working Climate, and Work and Occupational Stress/Load) was tested using the Model Consistency Test developed by Fischer and Scheiblechner (1970). The resulting low Chi-Square values relative to the degrees of freedom (e.g., ABZ: 6.07 with 9 df; BK: 1.69 with 8 df; ABL: 4.64 with 10 df) indicate that the items within each subscale fit the expectations of the Rasch model, supporting the notion that these scales measure distinct latent variables effectively.

Reliability

The scale demonstrates excellent internal consistency across its three main subscales. The reliability coefficients, calculated using Cronbach’s Alpha, were reported as highly satisfactory.

• Overall Reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha): .93 to .94.

This high reliability suggests that the items within each subscale are highly homogeneous and consistently measure the intended construct (Satisfaction, Climate, or Stress/Load).

Factor Analysis

Item analysis began with 60 dichotomously formulated items aiming to capture the subjective experience of employment. Factor analysis, based on a matrix of tetrachoric correlation coefficients, initially yielded five interpretable factors:

1. Factor: Work and Occupational Satisfaction (Arbeits- und Berufzufriedenheit)
2. Factor: Stressful Working Climate (Belastendes Betriebsklima)
3. Factor: Work and Occupational Stress/Load (Arbeits- und Berufsbelastung)
4. Factor: Lack of Recovery from Occupational Stress (Mangelnde Erholung von der Berufsbelastung)
5. Factor: Career Ambition (Karrierestreben)

For the final Rasch scaling, only the first three factors were retained, as Factors 4 and 5 were deemed unsuitable due to an insufficient number of items or low factor loadings. The resulting 30 items for the three final subscales showed satisfactory item-total correlations (r_it), indicating strong internal coherence. Giegler (1985) successfully replicated this three-factor structure and confirmed the scalability of these factors using the Rasch model.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire, psychological scale

Format: Dichotomous items (“stimmt” / “stimmt nicht” – true / not true)

Language Available: German (deutsch)

Population Group: Employed individuals (Erwerbstätige)

Age Group: Not explicitly specified, likely adult working population.

Population Details: The replication study by Giegler (1984/1985) utilized a sample of 113 employed individuals (54 men, 59 women). Specific details regarding the original Weyer et al. sample are unavailable.

Test Methodology: The scale uses a total of 30 dichotomous items distributed across three subscales. Scoring is based on the Rasch model; raw scores (summation of point values based on polarity) are converted into person parameters (logits) which are interpreted as measures of the latent trait.

Keywords

job satisfaction, working climate, job load, Rasch scaling, psychometric, Weyer, Hodapp, Neuhäuser, work attitude, stress assessment

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A

Correspondence Address: N/A

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The initial scale development was published in 1980 by Weyer, Hodapp, and Neuhäuser. Information regarding current usage permissions, fees, or licensing is not provided in the source documentation.

Reference’s

• Fischer, G. H. & Scheiblechner, H. (1970). Das Modell der Probabilistischen Testtheorie und seine Verallgemeinerungen. Psychologische Rundschau, 21 (1), 1-27.
• Giegler, H. (1984). Arbeitsbelastung und Arbeitszufriedenheit bei Krankenschwestern. Unveröffentlichte Diplomarbeit, Universität Gießen.
• Giegler, H. (1985). Arbeitsbelastung und Arbeitszufriedenheit: Eine Replikationsstudie. Zeitschrift für Differentielle und Diagnostische Psychologie, 6 (4), 237-248.
• Lazarus, R. S. (1966). Psychological Stress and the Coping Process. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Neuberger, O. & Allerbeck, M. (1978). Messung der Arbeitszufriedenheit. Bern: Huber.
• Weyer, H., Hodapp, V. & Neuhäuser, H. (1980). Skalen zur Erfassung der subjektiven Belastung und Unzufriedenheit im beruflichen Bereich. Diagnostica, 26 (3), 260-272.

Items of the Subjective satisfaction and stress of work and occupation

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