Skip to main content
Log in

Reliability and validity of the chinese version of the job content questionnaire in Taiwanese workers

  • Published:
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The reliability and validity of four selected scales—namely, job control, psychological demands, supervisor support, and coworker support—from the Chinese Version of the Job Content Questionnaire (C—JCL) were studied in 551 male and 648 female workers in Taiwan. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for job control, supervisor support, and coworker support were all above .80. Whereas it was .55 for psychological demands, indicating insufficient internal consistency for this subscale. Participants responded to questionnaire items relatively consistently over a 3-month period. Exploratory factor analyses disclosed 4 empirical factors, which corresponded closely with theoretical constructsofthe JCL.As predicted by the model, lowest levels of job satisfaction were found in workers in “iso-strain” category (i.e., high demands combined with low control and low social support). These findings indicated that the C—JCL is reliable and valid for assessing psychosocial work conditions among Taiwanese workers, although further improvement is needed for the psychological demands subscale.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bosma, H., Marmot, M. G., Hemingway, H., Nicholson, A. C., Brunner, E., Stansfeld, S. A., et al. (1997). Low job control and risk ofcoronary heart diseaseinWhitehall II (prospective cohort) study.British Medical Journal, 314, 558–565.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, Y., Go, Y., & Yeh,W. (2001). A national survey of psychosocial job stressors and their implications for health among working people in Taiwan.International Arch Occupational Environmental Health, 74, 495–504.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, Y., Kawachi, I., Coakley, E., Schwartz, J., & Colditz, G. (2000). Association between psychosocial work characteristics and health functioning in American women: Prospective study.British Medical Journal, 320, 1432–1436.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fenster, L., Schaefer, C., Mathur, A., Hiatt, R., Pieper, C., Hubbard, A., et al. (1995). Psychologic stress in the workplace and spontaneous abortion.American Journal of Epidemiology, 142, 1176–1183.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hurrell, J. J., Jr., Nelson,D. L., & Simmons, B. L. (1998). Measuring job stressors and strains: Where we have been, where we are, and where we need to go.Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 3, 368–389.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J.,; & Hall, E. (1988). Job strain, work place social support, and cardiovascular disease: A cross-sectional study of a random sample of the Swedish working population.American Journal of Public Health, 78, 1336–1342.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J. V., Hall, E. M., & Theorell, T. (1989). Combined effects of job strain and social isolation on cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality in a random sample of the Swedish male working population.Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 15(4), 271–279.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karasek, R., Baker, D., Marxer, F., Ahlbom, A.,; & Theorell, T. (1981). Job decision latitude, job demands, and cardiovascular disease:Aprospective study of Swedish men.American Journal of Public Health, 71, 694–705.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Karasek, R., Brisson, C., Kawakami, N., Houtman, I., Bongers, P., & Amick, B. (1998). The Job Content Questionnaire (JCL): An instrument for internationally comparative assessments of psychosocial job characteristics.Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 3, 322–355.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Karasek, R.,; & Theorell, T. (1990). The psychosocial work environment. InHealthy work—stress, productivity, and the reconstruction of working life (pp. 31–82). New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karasek, R. A., Theorell, T., Schwartz, J. E., Schnall, P. L., Pieper, C. F., & Michela, J. L. (1988). Job characteristics in relation to the prevalence of myocardial infarction in the US Health Examination Survey (HES) and the Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HANES).American Journal of Public Health, 78, 910–918.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawakami, N.,; & Haratani, T. (1999). Epidemiologyofjob stress and healthinJapan: Review of current evidence and future direction.Industrial Health, 37(2), 174–186.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawakami, N., Kobayashi, F., Araki, S., Haratani, T., & Furui, H. (1995). Assessment of job stress dimentions based on the job demands-control model of employees of telecommunication and electric power companies in Japan: Reliability and validity of the Japanese Version of the Job Content Questionnaire.International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2, 358–375.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Landsbergis, P. A., Schnall, P. L., Deitz, D., Friedman, R., & Pickering, T. (1992). The patterning of psychological attributes and distress by “job strain” and social support in a sample of working men.Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 15, 379–405.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Luo, J. C., Hsu, K. H., Hsieh, L. L., Wong, C. J., & Chang, M. J. (1998). Lung function and general illness symptoms inasemiconductor manufacturing facility.Journal of Occupational &Environmental Medicine, 40, 895–900.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marmot, M. G., Bosma, H., Hemingway, H., Brunner, E.,; & Stansfeld, S. (1997). Contribution of job control and other risk factors to social variations in coronary heart disease incidence.Lancet, 350 (9073), 235–239.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Republicof China, Directorate -Generalof Budget (ROC-DGOB). (1998).Social indicators. Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Executive Yuan, Republic of China.

    Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute, Inc. (1989).SAS/STAT user’s guide, Version 6. Cary, NC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schnall, P. L., Landsbergis, P. A.,& Baker, D. (1994). Job strain and cardiovascular disease.Annual Review of Public Health, 15, 381–411.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schnall, P. L., Schwartz, J. E., Landsbergis, P. A., Warren, K., & Pickering, T. G. (1992). Relation between job strain, alcohol, and ambulatory blood pressure.Hypertension, 19, 488–494.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, M. J.,Ho, C. K., Fan, L. R., & Yang, M. S. (1996). Job strain and drinking behavior (Chinese).Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Science, 12, 670–684.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, M. J., Ho, C. K., Su, Y. C., & Yang, M. S. (1997). Job strain, social support, and mental health (Chinese).Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Science, 13, 332–341.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yawen Cheng.

Additional information

This study was supported by grants from the National Science Council (NSC 89-2320-B006-088 and NSC 89-2314-B006-155), Taiwan. We thank Professor R. Karasek for permitting the development of the Chinese version of the JCL and providing suggestions regarding the Chinese translation

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cheng, Y., Luh, WM. & Guo, YL. Reliability and validity of the chinese version of the job content questionnaire in Taiwanese workers. Int. J. Behav. Med. 10, 15–30 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327558IJBM1001_02

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327558IJBM1001_02

Key words

Navigation