Using item response theory to examine the psychometric properties of the job content questionnaire

Abstract

In the past 30 years, there has been an increase in the number of hours spent in the workforce, and as a result, work stress has been a prominent factor in the increased health problems found in the working population (Briner, 2000). The Job Content Questionnaire (i.e., JCQ) is a self-administered instrument that implements the Demand-Control and Demand-Control-Support models to assess and measure the social and psychological aspects of the work force (Karasek et al., 1998). Thus, the JCQ provides information as to the health of employees. It has been translated and validated in several languages; however each study has only examined the JCQ in terms of Classical Test Theory methods. The current study accumulated validity evidence for the JCQ using Item Response Theory. The results suggested that each of the scales did not contain items that fully measured the latent trait. The analysis also indicated that more items need to be developed. Future research may want to examine other polytomous models, examine males and females separately, and assess the JCQ by the use of Differential Item Functioning (i.e., item bias).