A validation study of the Occupational Depression Inventory in Poland and Ukraine

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Occupational Health
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Occupational depression is a significant workplace concern.
• Valid and reliable instruments are needed to assess occupational depression.
• The Occupational Depression Inventory (ODI) is a potential tool for this purpose.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the psychometric and structural properties of the Polish and Ukrainian versions of the ODI.
• To assess the reliability, validity, and measurement invariance of the ODI in different cultural contexts.

Main Methods:

• The study utilized two samples of Polish employees and one sample of Ukrainian employees.
• Psychometric analyses included unidimensionality, reliability (McDonald's omegas), homogeneity (Hs), and measurement invariance.
• Criterion validity was assessed by correlating ODI scores with resilience and job-person fit.

Main Results:

• The ODI demonstrated essential unidimensionality and high reliability (omegas > 0.90) in all samples.
• Strong scale homogeneity (Hs between 0.59-0.68) indicated accurate individual ranking on occupational depression.
• Complete measurement invariance was found across samples, supporting between-group comparisons.
• Occupational depression correlated as expected with resilience and job-person fit across six work domains.
• Prevalence rates varied: 5% (Sample 1), 18% (Sample 2), and 3% (Sample 3).

Conclusions:

• The Polish and Ukrainian versions of the ODI are psychometrically sound and suitable for use.
• The ODI is a robust instrument for measuring occupational depression in diverse work settings.
• Findings support the ODI's utility in occupational health research and practice.