A Critical Review of Psychosocial Hazard Measures

Rick J, Briner R B, Daniels K, Perryman S, Guppy A | Report CRR 356/2001 | Health and Safety Executive | Jun 2001

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This report focuses on the research tools used to quantify factors causing stress in the workplace.

The report identifies existing approaches and looks for evidence of their reliability (do they produce consistent measures) and the validity of their results (do they measure what they are supposed to).

The authors conclude that it is impossible to recommend any of the methods devised for measuring the various stress-causing agents, and demand a rethink. Measures of stress need to be job specific and based on best practice, and self-reporting questionnaires are not broad enough.