Validation of the Danish Psychosocial Questionnaire (DPQ) in a Swedish healthcare context

Healthcare organizations in Europe, including Sweden, face ongoing challenges in ensuring a good work environment for their personnel, which is essential for high-quality care and job satisfaction. The Danish Psychosocial Work Environment Questionnaire (DPQ) has proven effective in various contexts but has not yet been validated in Swedish healthcare settings. This study aims to validate a Swedish translation of the DPQ in a healthcare context. We also aim to assess its validity against a broader range of outcomes than previously explored and to evaluate the feasibility of a single-item version for practical use.

The study was conducted within a public healthcare organization in northern Sweden and included 1,299 employees from four departments. The DPQ was translated into Swedish and subsequently administered, yielding a response rate of 48% at Time 1 (T1). Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: one group received the full DPQ at both time points, while the other received the full DPQ at T1 and a single-item version at Time 2 (T2). Reliability and validity were assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) whilst the evaluation of the single-item version of DPQ was done by a comparison of correlation coefficients.

The Swedish DPQ demonstrated good reliability and validity, with omega values > 0.70 for all subscales. CFA confirmed the multifactor structure of the instrument. High intercorrelations between some subscales indicated potential overlap. The single-item version showed significant differences in correlation coefficients compared to the full version, suggesting it may not be a suitable alternative.

The Swedish translation of the DPQ is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the psychosocial work environment in healthcare. However, the single-item version may not provide an accurate representation of complex constructs. The study highlights the importance of comprehensive measures for improving working conditions and suggests further research in broader contexts.