Development of Work Stress Scale for Correctional Officers

Overview

Journal J Occup Rehabil

Publisher Springer

Specialties Occupational Medicine
Rehabilitation Medicine

Date 2006 May 12

PMID 16688487

Citations 6

Authors

Emre Senol-Durak

Mithat Durak

Tulin Gencoz

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed at examining the psychometric properties of Work Stress Scale for Correctional Officers (WSSCO).

Methods: One hundred nineteen correctional officers (109 males and 10 females) employed in Turkey participated in this study. In addition to WSSCO, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) were administered to the participants.

Results: The internal consistencies and the item-total correlations were acceptable both for the whole scale and for its subscales; namely, "work overload," "role conflict and role ambiguity," "inadequacies in physical conditions of prison," "threat perception," and "general problems." Test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.77 for total scale, and test-retest reliability coefficients ranged between 0.68 and 0.78 for the subscales. The total scale and most of the subscales were positively correlated with depression, anxiety, and hopelessness, and negatively correlated with perceived social support. Furthermore, all subscales significantly differentiated high depressive symptomatology group from the low depressive symptomatology group.

Conclusions: The present results revealed that the psychometric properties of WSSCO were quite adequate. The scale can provide a potentially useful tool for research on job stress in correctional officers.

Citing Articles

The Mediating Role of Perceived Social Support in the Relationship Between Psychological Resilience and Depression Level in a Sample of Prisoners.

Civgin U, Gun Z Psychiatry Clin Psychopharmacol. 2024; 32(2):159-166.

PMID: 38764871 PMC: 11099644. DOI: 10.5152/pcp.2022.21331.

The Beneficial Effects of Professional Identity: The Mediating Role of Teaching Identification in the Relationship between Role Stress and Psychological Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Pretorius T, Padmanabhanunni A Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022; 19(18).

PMID: 36141611 PMC: 9517131. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191811339.

Work Engagement among Prison Officers. The Role of Individual and Organizational Factors in the Polish and Indonesian Penitentiary Systems.

Piotrowski A, Sygit-Kowalkowska E, Hamzah I Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020; 17(21).

PMID: 33172074 PMC: 7664410. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17218206.

Job stress among Iranian prison employees.

Akbari J, Akbari R, Farasati F, Mahaki B Int J Occup Environ Med. 2014; 5(4):208-15.

PMID: 25270011 PMC: 7767611.

Prevalence and associated factors of depressive symptoms among Chinese male correctional officers.

Sui G, Hu S, Sun W, Wang Y, Liu L, Yang X Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2013; 87(4):387-95.

PMID: 23609322 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-013-0877-6.

References

Uchino B, Garvey T . The availability of social support reduces cardiovascular reactivity to acute psychological stress. J Behav Med. 1997; 20(1):15-27. DOI: 10.1023/a:1025583012283. View

Eker D, Arkar H . Perceived social support: psychometric properties of the MSPSS in normal and pathological groups in a developing country. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 1995; 30(3):121-6. DOI: 10.1007/BF00802040. View

Hurrell Jr J, Nelson D, Simmons B . Measuring job stressors and strains: where we have been, where we are, and where we need to go. J Occup Health Psychol. 1998; 3(4):368-89. DOI: 10.1037//1076-8998.3.4.368. View

Cohen S, Kamarck T, Mermelstein R . A global measure of perceived stress. J Health Soc Behav. 1983; 24(4):385-96. View

Goldberg P, David S, Landre M, Goldberg M, Dassa S, Fuhrer R . Work conditions and mental health among prison staff in France. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1996; 22(1):45-54. DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.108. View

Eker D, Arkar H, Yaldiz H . Generality of support sources and psychometric properties of a scale of perceived social support in Turkey. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2000; 35(5):228-33. DOI: 10.1007/s001270050232. View

Tennant C . Work-related stress and depressive disorders. J Psychosom Res. 2001; 51(5):697-704. DOI: 10.1016/s0022-3999(01)00255-0. View

Anderson D . Coping strategies and burnout among veteran child protection workers. Child Abuse Negl. 2000; 24(6):839-48. DOI: 10.1016/s0145-2134(00)00143-5. View

Bartone P . Predictors of stress-related illness in city bus drivers. J Occup Med. 1989; 31(8):657-63. DOI: 10.1097/00043764-198908000-00008. View

10.

Pengilly J, Dowd E . Hardiness and social support as moderators of stress. J Clin Psychol. 2000; 56(6):813-20. DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4679(200006)56:6<813::aid-jclp10>3.0.co;2-q. View

11.

Hammen C . Generation of stress in the course of unipolar depression. J Abnorm Psychol. 1991; 100(4):555-61. DOI: 10.1037//0021-843x.100.4.555. View

12.

Ystgaard M . Life stress, social support and psychological distress in late adolescence. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 1997; 32(5):277-83. DOI: 10.1007/BF00789040. View

13.

Beck A, Weissman A, Lester D, Trexler L . The measurement of pessimism: the hopelessness scale. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1974; 42(6):861-5. DOI: 10.1037/h0037562. View

14.

Clark L, WATSON D . Tripartite model of anxiety and depression: psychometric evidence and taxonomic implications. J Abnorm Psychol. 1991; 100(3):316-36. DOI: 10.1037//0021-843x.100.3.316. View

15.

COLE F, Slocumb E, Muldoon Mastey J . A measure of critical care nurses' post-code stress. J Adv Nurs. 2001; 34(3):281-8. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2001.01756.x. View

16.

Beck A, Epstein N, Brown G, Steer R . An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: psychometric properties. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1988; 56(6):893-7. DOI: 10.1037//0022-006x.56.6.893. View

17.

Hills H, Norvell N . An examination of hardiness and neuroticism as potential moderators of stress outcomes. Behav Med. 1991; 17(1):31-8. DOI: 10.1080/08964289.1991.9937550. View

18.

Kobasa S, MADDI S, Puccetti M . Personality and exercise as buffers in the stress-illness relationship. J Behav Med. 1982; 5(4):391-404. DOI: 10.1007/BF00845369. View

19.

Chan K, Lai G, Ko Y, Boey K . Work stress among six professional groups: the Singapore experience. Soc Sci Med. 2000; 50(10):1415-32. DOI: 10.1016/s0277-9536(99)00397-4. View

20.

Gunthert K, Cohen L, Armeli S . The role of neuroticism in daily stress and coping. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1999; 77(5):1087-100. DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.77.5.1087. View