Perceived Job Stressors Scale – PJSS
Measures perceived job stress by assessing both the lack of positive work/life features and the presence of negative stressors.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Perceived Job Stressors Scale – PJSS was developed by Kanner, A., Kafry, D., & Pines, A. (1978). It is designed to measure Perceived Job Stress. The scale is intended for use with Working adults / employees.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 31 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Lack of Positive Work and Life Conditions, Negative Work and Life Stressors.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of Positive Work and Life Conditions | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17 | 17 |
| Negative Work and Life Stressors | 18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31 | 14 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Very infrequently, 2 = Infrequently, 3 = Somewhat infrequently, 4 = Neither, 5 = Somewhat frequently, 6 = Frequently, 7 = Very frequently.
The scale includes 17 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Item scores are averaged to produce a mean score.
Total scores range from 1 to 7. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Perceived Stress: 1 – 2
- Moderate Perceived Stress: 2 – 4
- High Perceived Stress: 5 – 7
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Alpha values ranged from .72 to .84.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.