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Development of the New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire

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Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the reliability and construct validity of a new version of the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (New BJSQ), which measures an extended set of psychosocial factors at work by adding new scales/items to the current version of the BJSQ. Additional scales/items were extensively collected from theoretical models of job stress and similar questionnaires in several countries. Scales/items were field-tested and refined through a pilot Internet survey. Finally, an 84-item standard version questionnaire, a 63-item recommended set, and a 23-item short version (141, 120, and 80 items in total when combined with the current 57-item BJSQ) were developed. A nationally representative survey was administered to employees in Japan (n = 1633) in 2010/2011 to examine the reliability and construct validity. As a result, most scales showed acceptable levels of internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and test-retest reliability over one year. Principal component analyses showed that the first factor explained 50 % or greater proportion of the variance in most scales. A scale factor analysis and a correlation analysis showed that these scales fit the proposed theoretical framework. These findings provided a piece of evidence that the New BJSQ scales are reliable and valid. The New BJSQ can be a useful instrument to evaluate psychosocial work environment and positive mental health outcomes in the workplace.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mental Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-Ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan

    Akiomi Inoue

  2. Department of Mental Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan

    Norito Kawakami & Akihito Shimazu

  3. Japan Health Promotion and Fitness Foundation, 2-6-10 Higashishimbashi, Minato-Ku, Tokyo, 105-0021, Japan

    Teruichi Shimomitsu

  4. Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo Medical University, 6-1-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo, 160-8402, Japan

    Teruichi Shimomitsu & Yuko Odagiri

  5. Department of Public Health, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-Ku, Sagamihara, 252-0374, Japan

    Akizumi Tsutsumi

  6. Occupational Stress Research Group, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 6-21-1 Nagao, Tama-Ku, Kawasaki, 214-8585, Japan

    Takashi Haratani

  7. Research Center for Overwork-Related Disorders, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 6-21-1 Nagao, Tama-Ku, Kawasaki, 214-8585, Japan

    Toru Yoshikawa

Authors
  1. Akiomi Inoue
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  2. Norito Kawakami
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  3. Teruichi Shimomitsu
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  4. Akizumi Tsutsumi
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  5. Takashi Haratani
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  6. Toru Yoshikawa
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  7. Akihito Shimazu
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  8. Yuko Odagiri
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Akiomi Inoue .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Mental Health, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Akihito Shimazu

  2. Sch Med Health Sci, Clinical Schl Johoor, Monash Univ. Jeffrey Cheah Sch Med Health Sci, Clinical Schl Johoor Bahur, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

    Rusli Bin Nordin

  3. University of South Australia, School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy, Asia Pacific Cent. for Work Health & A WHO Collaborating Cntr. in Occptn Health,, Magill SA, Australia

    Maureen Dollard

  4. & Human Factors, Dept. of Public Health, La Trobe University, Centre for Ergonomi & Human Factors, Dept. of Public Health, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia

    Jodi Oakman

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Inoue, A. et al. (2016). Development of the New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. In: Shimazu, A., Bin Nordin, R., Dollard, M., Oakman, J. (eds) Psychosocial Factors at Work in the Asia Pacific. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44400-0_12

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