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Table 3 Comparison of scales, single items and response categories - G-COPSOQ II versus G-COPSOQ III

From: Comparing perceived psychosocial working conditions of nurses and physicians in two university hospitals in Germany with other German professionals - feasibility of scale conversion between two versions of the German Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ)

G-COPSOQ II

G-COPSOQ III

Summary of amendments

Scales and items

Response categories

Scales and items

Response categories

Domain: Demands

Quantitative demands (4 items)

− Do you have to work very fast?

− Is your workload unevenly distributed so it piles up?

− How often do you not have time to complete all your work tasks?

− Do you have to do overtime?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever

Quantitative demands (3 items)

− Do you have to work very fast?

− How often do you not have time to complete all your work tasks?

− Do you have to do overtime?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever

− reduced from 4 to 3 items

Emotional demands (3 items)

− Does your work put you in emotionally disturbing situations?

− Do you get emotionally involved in your work?

− Is your work emotionally demanding?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever

Emotional demands (2 items)

− Do you have to deal with other people’s personal problems as part of your work?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever

− introduction of a new item

− modified response categories

− Is your work emotionally demanding?

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent

Work-privacy-conflict (5 items)

− The demands of my work interfere with my home and family life.

− The amount of time my job takes up makes it difficult to fulfil my family responsibilities.

− Things I want to do at home do not get done because of the demands my job puts on me.

− My job produces strain that makes it difficult to fulfill family duties.

− Due to work-related duties, I have to make changes to my plans for family activities.

strongly agree / slightly agree / neither agree nor disagree / slightly disagree / strongly disagree

Work-privacy-conflict (2 items)

− The demands of my work interfere with my home and family life.

− The amount of time my job takes up makes it difficult to fulfil my family responsibilities.

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent

− reduced from 5 to 2 items

− modified response categories

Domain: Influence and development

Influence at work (4 items)

− Do you have a large degree of influence concerning your work?

− Do you have a say in choosing who you work with?

− Can you influence the amount of work assigned to you?

− Do you have any influence on what you do at work?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever

Influence at work (3 items)

− Do you have a large degree of influence on the decisions concerning your work?

− Can you influence the amount of work assigned to you?

− Do you have any influence on what you do at work?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever

− reduced from 4 to 3 items

− slightly different formulation for one item

Degree of freedom at work (4 items)

− Can you decide when to take a break?

− Can you take holidays more or less when you wish?

− Can you leave your work to have a chat with a colleague?

− If you have some private business, is it possible for you to leave your place of work for half an hour without special permission?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever

Control over working time (2 items)

− Can you decide when to take a break?

− Can you take holidays more or less when you wish?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever

− reduced from 4 to 2 item

− new scale designation (control over working time)

Possibilities for development (4 items)

− Is your work varied?

− Does your work require you to take the initiative?

− Do you have the possibility of learning new things through your work?

− Can you use your skills or expertise in your work?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever

Possibilities for development (3 items)

− Is your work varied?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever

− reduced from 4 to 3 items

− for 2 items modified response categories

− Do you have the possibility of learning new things through your work?

− Can you use your skills or expertise in your work?

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent

Meaning of work (3 items)

− Is your work meaningful?

− Do you feel that the work you do is important?

− Do you feel motivated and involved in your work?

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent

Meaning of work (2 items)

− Is your work meaningful?

− Do you feel that the work you do is important?

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent

− reduced from 3 to 2 items

Workplace commitment (4 items)

− Are you proud to be part of this organization?

− Do you enjoy telling others about your place of work?

− Do you feel that the problems at your place of work are yours too?

− Do you feel that your place of work is of great personal importance to you?

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent

Workplace commitment (2 items)

− Are you proud of being part of this company?

− Do you enjoy telling others about your place of work?

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent

− reduced from 4 to 2 items

− slightly different formulation for one item

Domain: Interpersonal relations and leadership

Predictability (2 items)

− At your place of work, are you informed well in advance concerning for example important decisions, changes, or plans for the future?

− Do you receive all the information you need in order to do your work well?

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent

Predictability (2 items)

− At your place of work, are you informed well in advance concerning for example important decisions, changes, or plans for the future?

− Do you receive all the information you need in order to do your work well?

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent

− same number of items

− slightly different item formulation

Role clarity (4 items)

− Do you know exactly how much say you have at work?

− Does your work have clear objectives?

− Do you know exactly which areas are your responsibility?

− Do you know exactly what is expected of you at work?

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent

Role clarity (3 items)

− Does your work have clear objectives?

− Do you know exactly which areas are your responsibility?

− Do you know exactly what is expected of you at work?

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent

− reduced from 4 to 3 items

Role conflicts (4 items)

− Do you do things at work, which are accepted by some people but not by others?

− Are contradictory demands placed on you at work?

− Do you sometimes have to do things, which ought to have been done in a different way?

− Do you sometimes have to do things, which seem to you to be unnecessary?

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent

Role conflicts (3 items)

− Are contradictory demands placed on you at work?

− Do you sometimes have to do things, which ought to have been done in a different way?

− Do you sometimes have to do things, which seem to you to be unnecessary?

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent

− reduced from 4 to 3 items

Quality of leadership (4 items)

To what extent would you say that your immediate superior…

− ...makes sure that the individual member of staff has good development opportunities?

− ...gives high priority to job satisfaction?

− …is good at work planning?

− …is good at solving conflicts?

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent

Quality of leadership (4 items)

To what extent would you say that your immediate superior…

− ...makes sure that the members of staff have good development opportunities?

− ...gives high priority to job satisfaction?

− …is good at work planning?

− …is good at solving conflicts?

to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent / I don’t have a superior

− same number of items

− slightly different item formulation

− new response category (I don’t have a superior)

Social support (4 items)

− How often do you get help and support from your colleagues?

− How often are your colleagues willing to listen to your problems at work?

− How often do you get help and support from your nearest superior?

− How often is your immediate superior willing to listen to your work-related problems?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever

Social support (4 items)

− How often do you get help and support from your colleagues, if needed?

− How often are your colleagues willing to listen to your problems at work, if needed?

− How often do you get help and support from your immediate superior, if needed?

− How often is your immediate superior willing to listen to your problems at work, if needed?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever / I don’t have a superior, colleagues

− same number of items

− slightly different item formulation

− new response category (I don’t have a superior, colleagues)

Feedback (2 items)

− How often do you talk with your superior about how well you carry out your work?

− How often do you talk with your colleagues about how well you carry out your work?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever

Feedback (2 items)

− How often does your immediate superior talk with you about how well you carry out your work?

− How often do your colleagues talk with you about how well you carry out your work?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever / I don’t have a superior, colleagues

− same number of items

− slightly different item formulation

− new response category (I don’t have a superior, colleagues)

Social relations (2 items)

− Do you work separate from your colleagues?

− Is it possible for you to talk to your colleagues while you are working?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever

Social relations (single item)

− Is it possible for you to talk to your colleagues while you are working?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever / I don’t have a superior, colleagues

− reduced from 2 to 1 item

− new response category (I don’t have a superior, colleagues)

Sense of community (3 items)

− Is there a good atmosphere between you and your colleagues?

− Is there good co-operation between your colleagues at work?

− Do you feel part of a community at your place of work?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever

Sense of community (2 items)

− Is there a good atmosphere between you and your colleagues?

− Is there good co-operation between the colleagues at work?

always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever / I don’t have a superior, colleagues

− reduced from 3 to 2 items

− new response category (I don’t have a superior, colleagues)

Domain: Strain (effects, outcomes)

Job satisfaction (7 items)

Regarding your work in general. How pleased are you with…

− ...your work prospects?

− …the people you work with?

− ...the physical working conditions?

− ...the way your department is run?

− ...the way your abilities are used?

− ...the interest and skills involved in your job?

− ...your job as a whole, everything taken into consideration?

very satisfied / satisfied / unsatisfied / highly unsatisfied

Job satisfaction (6 items)

Regarding your work in general. How pleased are you with…

− ...your work prospects?

− …the people you work with?

− ...the physical working conditions?

− ...the way your group is run?

− ...the way your abilities are used?

− ...your job as a whole, everything taken into consideration?

very satisfied / satisfied / neither, nor / unsatisfied / highly unsatisfied

− reduced from 7 to 6 items

− slightly different formulation for one item

− modified response categories