Validation of a short measure of effort-reward Imbalance in the workplace: Evidence from China

Abstract

Objectives: Work stress is an emergent risk in occupational health in China, and its measurement is still a critical issue. The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of a short version of the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) questionnaire in a sample of Chinese workers. Methods: A community-based survey was conducted in 1,916 subjects aged 30-65 years with paid employment (971 men and 945 women). Results: Acceptable internal consistencies of the three scales, effort, reward and overcommitment, were obtained. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good model fit of the data with the theoretical structure (goodness-of-fit index=0.95). Evidence of criterion validity was demonstrated, as all three scales were independently associated with elevated odds ratios of both poor physical and mental health. Conclusions: Based on the findings of our study, this short version of the ERI questionnaire is considered to be a reliable and valid tool for measuring psychosocial work environment in Chinese working populations. (J Occup Health 2012; 54: 427-433).