Journal List > Korean J Occup Environ Med > v.17(4) > 1125882

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Chang, Koh, Kang, Kim, Kang, Lee, Chung, Cho, Son, Chae, Kim, Kim, Kim, Roh, Park, Woo, Kim, Kim, Ha, Park, Rhee, Kim, Kong, Kim, Kim, Park, Huyun, and Son: Developing an Occupational Stress Scale for Korean Employees
Original Article

Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2005; 17(4): 297-317.

Published online: 30 January 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2005.17.4.297

Developing an Occupational Stress Scale for Korean Employees

Sei Jin Chang, Sang Baek Koh, Dongmug Kang, Seong Ah Kim, Myung Geun Kang, Chul Gab Lee, Jin Joo Chung, Jung Jin Cho, Mia Son, Chang Ho Chae, Jung Won Kim, Jung Il Kim, Hyeong Su Kim, Sang Chul Roh, Jae Beom Park, Jong Min Woo, Soo Young Kim, Jeong Youn Kim, Mina Ha, Jungsun Park, Kyung Yong Rhee, Hyoung Ryoul Kim, Jeong Ok Kong, In Ah Kim, Jeong Soo Kim, Jun Ho Park, Sook Jung Huyun, Dong Kook Son

Department of Preventive Medicine and Institute of Occupational Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Korea.

Department of Preventive and Occupational Medicine, College of Medicine Pusan University, Korea.

Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pochon CHA University, and Kumi Cha Hospital, Korea.

Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine Chosun University, Korea.

Department of Occupational Medicine, College of Medicine Chosun University, Korea.

Korean Women's Development Institute, Korea.

Department of Family Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Korea.

Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicin, Kangwon National University, Korea.

Masan Samsung Hospital, Korea.

Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pusan Paik Hospital, Inje university, Korea.

Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Donga University, Korea.

Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, Korea.

Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Korea.

Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Ajou University, Korea.

Department of Neuropsychiatry and Stress Research Institute, Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital, Korea.

Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Eulji University, Korea.

Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Woman's University, Korea.

Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Korea.

Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, Korea.

Department of Preventive Medicine and Industrial Medical Center, The Catholic University of Korea, Korea.

Graduate School of Kangwon National University, Korea.

Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Korea.

Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Korea.

chang@wonju.yonsei.ac.kr

Copyright © 2005 The Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSES

Over the past three decades, numerous studies performed in Korea have reported that job stress is a determinant risk factor for chronic diseases and work disability. Every society has its own culture and occupational climate particular to their organizations, and hence experiences different occupational stress. An occupational stress measurement tool therefore needs to be developed to estimate it objectively. The purpose of this study is to develop and standardize the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS) which is considered to be unique and specific occupational stressors in Korean employees.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Data were obtained from the National Study for Development and Standardization of Occupational Stress (NSDSOS Project: 2002–2004). A total of 12,631 employees from a nationwide sample proportional to the Korean Standard Industrial Classification and the Korean Standard Occupational Classification were administered. The KOSS was developed for 2 years (2002–2004). In the first year, we collected 255 items from the most popular job stress measurement tools such as JCQ, ERI, NIOSH and OSI, and 44 items derived from the a qualitative study (depth interview). Fortythree items of KOSS, in the second year, were retained for use in the final version of the KOSS by using Delphi and factor analysis. Items were scored using conventional 1-2-3-4 Likert scores for the response categories.

RESULTS

We developed eight subscales by using factor analysis and validation process: physical environment (3 items), job demand (8 items), insufficient job control (5 items), interpersonal conflict (4 items), job insecurity (6 items), organizational system (7 items), lack of reward (6 items), and occupational climate (4 items). Together they explained 50.0% of total variance. Internal consistency alpha scores were ranged from 0.51 to 0.82. Twenty-four items of the short form of the KOSS (KOSS-SF) were also developed to estimate job stress in the work setting. Because the levels of the subscales of occupational stress were gender dependent, gender-specific standard norms for both the 43-item full version and the 24-item short form using a quartile for the subscales of KOSS were presented.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study suggest that KOSS might be an appropriate measurement scale to estimate occupational stress of Korean employees. Further and more detailed study needs to be conducted to improve the validity of this scale.

Keywords: Occupational stress, Stress measurement, KOSS

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