[Validation of the Job Content Questionnaire in hospital nursing staff]

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Psychometrics
• Nursing Research

Background:

• The Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) is a widely used tool for assessing psychosocial work environment factors.
• Validating the JCQ is crucial for its accurate application in diverse cultural and occupational contexts, particularly within healthcare settings.
• Previous research highlights the impact of job demands, control, and support on employee well-being and burnout.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the reliability and construct validity of a reduced version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ).
• To assess the JCQ's three dimensions: psychological demands, job control, and job support.
• To evaluate these dimensions specifically within a sample of hospital nursing staff in Spain.

Main Methods:

• A minimized version of the JCQ, comprising 9 items for psychological demands, 9 for job control, and 11 for job support, was administered.
• Reliability was assessed via re-interviewing a subsample (n=50) after 15 days, using intraclass correlation.
• Construct validity was examined by correlating JCQ dimensions with a burnout scale and the SF-36 health survey using factorial analysis.

Main Results:

• Factorial analysis confirmed the JCQ's original factorial structure in the Spanish nursing sample.
• High reliability was observed, with intraclass correlations ranging from 0.83 to 0.87 and Cronbach's alpha from 0.74 to 0.88.
• Moderate construct validity was found, evidenced by significant correlations with burnout and SF-36 dimensions.

Conclusions:

• The validated JCQ version maintains its factorial structure within the Spanish cultural context.
• The questionnaire exhibits high reliability and internal consistency for measuring job demands, control, and support in nursing staff.
• The study confirms moderate construct validity, supporting its use for assessing psychosocial work factors in this population.