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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2011 Jul 1.
Published in final edited form as: Soc Sci Med. 2010 Apr 28;71(2):298–304. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.03.043

Table 2.

Individual Questions on the Work Stress Scale 1 (mean ± standard deviation)

Diabetes Study CHD Study
Germany
N=64		 UK
n=128		 US
N=192		 US Only
N=256
Effort
I have constant time
pressure due to a
heavy work load		 3.5 ± 0.86 2.9 ± 0.76 3.1 ± 1.03 2.9 ± 1.01
I have a lot of
responsibility in my job		 3.0 ± 0.68 2.6 ± 0.62 3.0 ± 0.89 2.9 ± 0.83
I have many
interruptions and
disturbances in my job		 2.8 ± 1.21 2.7 ± 0.89 3.0 ± 0.92 2.8 ± 1.00
Over the past few
years, my job has
become more and more
demanding		 3.2 ± 1.16 2.9 ± 0.87 3.2 ± 1.06 2.9 ± 1.16
Reward
The prospects of my
further job development
are poor		 1.9 ± 1.12 1.4 ± 0.81 2.0 ± 1.28 1.8 ± 1.17
I have experienced or I
expect to experience an
undesirable change in
my work situation		 3.5 ± 1.34 2.3 ± 1.21 2.2 ± 1.34 1.9 ± 1.28
My job security is poor 1.6 ± 1.29 1.1 ± 0.49 1.5 ± 1.02 1.3 ± 0.80
Considering all my
efforts and
achievements, I receive
the respect and
prestige I deserve for
my work2 		2.5 ± 1.29 1.5 ± 0.81 2.0 ± 1.13 1.8 ± 1.10
Considering all my
efforts and
achievements, my
income is adequate2 		3.1 ± 1.30 1.3 ± 0.63 2.8 ± 1.37 2.3 ± 1.27
1

Possible responses: 1= Disagree, 2= Agree, and I am not at all distressed, 3= Agree, and I am somewhat distressed, 4= Agree, and I am distressed, 5= Agree, and I am very distressed

2

Possible responses: 1= Agree, 2= Disagree, and I am not at all distressed, 3= Disagree, and I am somewhat distressed, 4= Disagree, and I am distressed, 5= Disagree, and I am very distressed