Cross-cultural validity of the demand-control questionnaire: Swedish and Brazilian workers.

Michael Eduardo Reichenheim,Sonia Regina Lambert Passos,Eduardo Faerstein,Yara Hahr Marques Hökerberg,Hugo Westerlund,Susanna Toivanen,Johan Fritzell

doi:10.1590/s0034-8910.2014048005126

Michael Eduardo Reichenheim, Sonia Regina Lambert Passos + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s0034-8910.2014048005126

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cross-cultural validity of the Demand-Control Questionnaire, comparing the original Swedish questionnaire with the Brazilian version.METHODS We compared data from 362 Swedish and 399 Brazilian health workers. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were performed to test structural validity, using the robust weighted least squares mean and variance-adjusted (WLSMV) estimator. Construct validity, using hypotheses testing, was evaluated through the inspection of the mean score distribution of the scale dimensions according to sociodemographic and social support at work variables.RESULTS The confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses supported the instrument in three dimensions (for Swedish and Brazilians): psychological demands, skill discretion and decision authority. The best-fit model was achieved by including an error correlation between work fast and work intensely (psychological demands) and removing the item repetitive work (skill discretion). Hypotheses testing showed that workers with university degree had higher scores on skill discretion and decision authority and those with high levels of Social Support at Work had lower scores on psychological demands and higher scores on decision authority.CONCLUSIONS The results supported the equivalent dimensional structures across the two culturally different work contexts. Skill discretion and decision authority formed two distinct dimensions and the item repetitive work should be removed.

Highlights

The demand-control model states that workers exposed to high levels of job strain – a combination of high psychological demands and low job decision latitude – have an increased risk of ill health compared to those exposed to low job strain.[16]
The demand-control-support questionnaire (DCSQ) includes 17 items grouped into three main dimensions: psychological demands, decision latitude – subdivided into skill discretion and decision authority – and social support at work
Compared to the two-factor model, the three-factor model showed better item loadings and uniquenesses, related to the items postulated as part of the skill discretion dimension and more evidenced in the Swedish sample

Summary

Introduction

The demand-control model states that workers exposed to high levels of job strain – a combination of high psychological demands and low job decision latitude – have an increased risk of ill health compared to those exposed to low job strain.[16] Social support at work was added later as a dimension that would potentially buffer the effect of high strain on stress-related illness.[13] The model has been tested mostly in relation to cardiovascular diseases and related risk factors.[3,32]. According to the psychometric literature, dimension represents the latent variable (not observed), which summarizes the original set of observed variables (e.g., items).[4,11,30]

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