Job Demands and Decision Latitude Scale
Measures psychological job demands and job decision latitude (comprising skill discretion and decision authority) to assess work-related stress.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Job Demands and Decision Latitude Scale was developed by Robert A. Karasek (1979). It is designed to measure Job Demands and Decision Latitude. The scale is intended for use with Working adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 15 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Job Demands, Skill Discretion, Decision Authority.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Job Demands | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 | 7 |
| Skill Discretion | 8,9,10,11 | 4 |
| Decision Authority | 12,13,14,15 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Never, 2 = Seldom, 3 = Sometimes, 4 = Often, 5 = Extremely often.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Job demands alpha: .79-.88; Decision latitude alpha: .77-.85.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.