Job Descriptive Index – JDI
Measures job satisfaction across five specific facets of work as well as overall job satisfaction.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Job Descriptive Index – JDI was developed by Patricia C. Smith, Lorne M. Kendall, & Charles L. Hulin (1969). It is designed to measure Job Satisfaction. The scale is intended for use with Working adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 18 items organized into 6 factors/subscales: Work on Present Job, Supervision, Present Pay, Coworkers, Opportunities for Promotion, Job in General.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Work on Present Job | 1,2,3 | 3 |
| Supervision | 4,5,6 | 3 |
| Present Pay | 7,8,9 | 3 |
| Coworkers | 10,11,12 | 3 |
| Opportunities for Promotion | 13,14,15 | 3 |
| Job in General | 16,17,18 | 3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: Y = Yes, ? = Cannot decide, N = No.
The scale includes 10 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 9. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Satisfaction: 0 – 3
- Moderate Satisfaction: 4 – 6
- High Satisfaction: 7 – 9
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Split-half correlations: Work (0.84), Pay (0.80), Promotions (0.86), Supervision (0.87), Coworkers (0.88).
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.