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The Life Events Inventory: re-scaling based on an occupational sample.
A Spurgeon1, C A Jackson, J R Beach
1Institute of Occupational Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston B15 2TT, UK.
Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England)
|July 21, 2001
Summary
The Life Events Inventory (LEI) shows high agreement in item ranking across different samples, validating its use in stress assessments. Adjusting weightings for age and gender enhances its utility in workplace and epidemiological studies.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Occupational Health
- Sociology
Background:
- The Life Events Inventory (LEI) is a tool used to quantify life stressors.
- Original weightings may not reflect contemporary societal values or occupational contexts.
- Validating LEI weightings is crucial for accurate stress measurement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the validity of original LEI weightings with those from a contemporary occupational sample.
- To assess the impact of age and gender on LEI scoring within an occupational setting.
- To determine the LEI's continued utility in stress quantification.
Main Methods:
- A modified version of the LEI scale was administered to 112 manufacturing employees (50 male, 62 female).
- Participants (aged 16-55) assigned scores to each LEI item.
- Scoring data were analyzed to compare with original LEI weightings and examine demographic differences.
Main Results:
- The contemporary occupational sample assigned higher weights to LEI items compared to the original sample.
- High agreement was observed in the ranking of items between the two samples.
- Distinct age and gender differences in item scoring were identified.
Conclusions:
- The LEI demonstrates high item ranking agreement, supporting its validity.
- Adjusting LEI weightings for specific age and gender groups enhances its precision.
- The LEI is a valuable tool for workplace stress audits and epidemiological studies requiring control for non-occupational stress.