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Applied researchers typically use mean/sum scores as simple scoring method for the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). However, inferences from such scores can be biased when measures are not essentially unidimensional. A bifactor modeling approach is especially useful to evaluate whether and to what degree ignoring (potential) multidimensionality of the PSS-10 might affect person score estimates. However, so far only few studies on the PSS-10 have used this approach and have not yet fully exploited its potential. In addition, studies that investigate measurement invariance across countries are scarce. Thus, the present study aimed to (a) evaluate the dimensionality of the PSS-10 by means of an exploratory graph analysis and an item response theory bifactor modeling comparison approach, (b) assess conditional and marginal reliability, (c) investigate cross-country measurement invariance, and (d) examine whether the relationships between the PSS-10 and different validity criteria depend on the scoring method of the PSS-10. Therefore, community samples from 41 countries (N = 109, 264) of the COVIDiSTRESS Global Survey data were used. In most countries (i.e., n = 33) ignoring multidimensionality did not substantially affect person score estimates and only slightly overestimated reliability. Measurement invariance and differential item/test functioning analysis of the PSS-10 on these 33 countries revealed only minor differential test functioning across countries. Overall, the PSS-10 showed a concurring nomological network with the external criteria, although with some substantial differences in effect sizes between countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile device usage in online surveys has steadily increased in recent years. As mobile devices differ, for example, in their handling, from computers, device effects within online surveys are found for several data quality indicators. However, results concerning these device effects are neither comprehensive nor conclusive because existing research are often based on nonoptimized designs or do not account for the type of mobile device, for example, smartphone or tablet. This study uses data from the emigrant sample of the German Emigration and Remigration Panel Study (GERPS) a probability-based online survey (n = 4,888)--which made use of a mobile-optimized design--to compare data quality between smartphone, tablet, and computer respondents. Propensity score weighting was employed to account for device choice selectivity effects. The data quality indicators showed mixed results and smaller data quality differences across computers, smartphones, and tablets compared to previous studies. Higher dropout rates on mobile devices and here especially on smartphones remain the major challenge for survey participation, especially on small screens. However, our results render mixed-device data collection via mobileoptimized online surveys as a promising data collection approach, especially for exploiting the large response potentially associated with smartphone and tablet respondents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online surveys have become a popular method for data gathering for many reasons, including low costs and the ability to collect data rapidly. However, online data collection is often conducted without adequate attention to implementation details. One example is the frequent use of the forced answering option, which forces the respondent to answer each question in order to proceed through the questionnaire. The avoidance of missing data is often the idea behind the use of the forced answering option. However, we suggest that the costs of a reactance effect in terms of quality reduction and unit nonresponse may be high because respondents typically have plausible reasons for not answering questions. The objective of the study reported in this paper was to test the influence of forced answering on dropout rates and data quality. The results show that requiring participants answer every question increases dropout rates and decreases quality of answers. Our findings suggest that the desire for a complete data set has to be balanced against the consequences of reduced data quality.

Aim: The COVID‐19 pandemic has led to a rapid raise of work‐related stress among nurses, affecting their emotional well‐being. This study examined how nurses appraise job demands (i.e. time pressure, emotional demands and physical demands) during the pandemic, and how primary (i.e. challenge and threat) and secondary appraisals (i.e. coping potential) of job demands predict nurses' affective states (i.e. positive affect, anger and anxiety). Design: A cross‐sectional online survey. Methods: 419 nurses completed self‐report measures of job demands and related appraisals. Data analyses comprised correlation analysis, factor analysis, hierarchical linear regression analysis and dominance analysis. Results: Emotional and physical demands correlated exclusively with threat appraisal, while time pressure correlated with challenge and threat appraisal. Time pressure, emotional demands and threat appraisals of job demands predicted negative affective states, while challenge appraisals of emotional and physical demands predicted positive affect. Coping potential was identified as the most important predictor variable of nurses' affective states. Public Contribution: The current study identified statistically significant risk and protective factors in view of nurses' affective states experienced during the COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The five-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) is among the most frequently used brief standard measures to assess hedonic well-being. Numerous studies have investigated different facets of its psychometric properties in adult populations. However, whether these results apply to adolescents is uncertain, and only few psychometric studies employed adolescent populations. Thus, the current study aimed to conduct an in-depth psychometric item response theory analysis of the WHO-5 among adolescents from 43 countries using the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2022 data set and investigated its (a) dimensionality and measurement structure, (b) test information values and marginal reliability, (c) cross-country measurement invariance and differential item/test functioning, and (d) convergent validity with other measures related to mental health and well-being across countries. The WHO-5 showed a unidimensional measurement structure and overall high test information values and marginal reliability. Furthermore, although a large proportion of parameters were flagged as non-invariant, differential test functioning of the WHO-5 was only modest. Moreover, the WHO-5 mainly showed a concurring nomological network with the other measures related to mental health and well-being across countries, although with some differences in effect sizes. The WHO-5 Well-Being Index is a psychometrically sound measure that has shown promise for cross-cultural research among adolescents in the included European, Central Asia, and North American countries. The translated versions of the WHO-5 are available at https://osf.io/pbexq. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Previous research conducted on the Job Demands-Resources model has mostly ignored the newly introduced Challenge-Hindrance-Threat distinction of workplace stressors. Thus, to better understand the nature of job demands, the present study aimed to explore this distinction of job demands within the framework of the Job Demands-Resources model. Moreover, it examined competing theoretical frameworks by investigating the associations between job characteristics and psychological health variables (i.e., burnout, vigor). Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected via computer assisted telephone interview among a representative sample of employees working in Luxembourg (n = 1,506). Findings: Structural Equation Modeling supported the distinctiveness of the proposed demand categories in terms of their effects. The health impairing nature of threats, hindrances, and challenges, as well as the motivational potential of resources was supported. Yet, scarce support was found for the moderating effects of demands and resources on employees’ well-being. Research implications: Based on these findings, we argue for an extended framework of job characteristics, which will more accurately describe their nature and effects on employees. Practical implications: In order to promote employee’s well-being, occupational health advisors need to be aware of the distinct demand-wellbeing relations when implementing job redesign measures. Originality/value: Combining multiple theoretical frameworks is considered a leading principle in occupational health research. The present study implements an extended classification framework of workplace stressors into one of today’s most influential theoretical framework of job characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 24-item Social Provision Scale is among the most frequently used self-report scales to assess perceived social support. A shortened 10-item version (SPS-10) with promising psychometric properties has been proposed. However, so far only a few studies in specific cultural contexts investigated its psychometric properties. Thus, the aim of the current study was an extensive investigation of the psychometric properties of the SPS-10 among 38 countries (N = 88,857 respondents) using the COVIDiSTRESS Global Survey data. Item response theory bifactor analysis revealed that the general factor accounts for the largest part of the covariance among the items in all countries (explained common variance ≥ .75) and that the mean/sum score of the SPS-10 can be used as a total score of perceived general social support. Reliability was high for all countries (ρunidimensional GRM ≥ .89). Measurement invariance and differential item/test functioning analysis of the unidimensional graded response model indicated negligible differential test functioning across countries. The association with the external criteria mainly supported its construct validity. The SPS-10 is a psychometrically sound measure of perceived social support for large-scale cross-cultural studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forced answering (FA) is a frequent answer format in online surveys that forces respondents to answer each question in order to proceed through the questionnaire. The underlying rationale is to decrease the amount of missing data. Despite its popularity, empirical research on the impact of FA on respondents' answering behavior is scarce and has generated mixed findings. In fact, some quasi-experimental studies showed that FA has detrimental consequences such as increased survey dropout rates and faking behavior. Notably, a theoretical psychological process driving these effects has hitherto not been identified. Therefore, the aim of the present study was twofold: First, we sought to experimentally replicate detrimental effects of FA on online questionnaire data quality. Second, we tried to uncover an explanatory psychological mechanism. Specifically, we hypothesized that FA effects are mediated through reactance. Zero-order effects showed that FA increased state reactance and questionnaire dropout as well as reduced answer length in open-ended questions. Results of survival and mediation analyses corroborate negative FA effects on data quality and the proposed psychological process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workplace bullying is a phenomenon that can have serious detrimental effects on health, work-related attitudes, and the behavior of the target. Particularly, workplace bullying exposure has been linked to lower level of general well-being, job satisfaction, vigor, and performance and higher level of burnout, workplace deviance, and turnover intentions. However, the psychological mechanisms behind these relations are still not well-understood. Drawing on psychological contract and self-determination theory (SDT), we hypothesized that perceptions of contract violation and the frustration of basic needs mediate the relationship between workplace bullying exposure and well-being, attitudinal, and behavioral outcomes. Self-reported data were collected among employees with different working backgrounds (N = 1,257) via Amazon's Mechanical Turk in an online survey. Results showed that feelings of contract violation and frustration of basic needs accounted for unique variation in well-being, work satisfaction, burnout, vigor, and turnover intentions, pointing to individual contributions of both psychological mechanisms. However, when controlled for frustration of basic needs, feelings of psychological contract violation were no longer a mediator between workplace bullying exposure and work performance. Helping employees to deal effectively with workplace bullying exposure might buffer its negative effects and reduce their experienced frustration of basic needs, preserving their well-being, vigor, and work performance and, eventually, prevent burnout. The present study is the first to concurrently elucidate the proposed psychological mechanisms and unique contributions of psychological contract violation and frustration of basic needs in the context of workplace bullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

General self-efficacy is a central personality trait often evaluated in surveys as context variable. It can be interpreted as a personal coping resource reflecting individual belief in one's overall competence to perform across a variety of situations. The German-language Allgemeine-Selbstwirksamkeit-Kurzskala (ASKU) is a reliable and valid instrument to assess this disposition in the German-speaking countries based on a three-item equation. This study develops a French version of the ASKU and tests this French version for measurement invariance compared to the original ASKU. A reliable and valid French instrument would make it easy to collect data in the French-speaking countries and allow comparisons between the French and German results. Data were collected on a sample of 1,716 adolescents. Confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a good fit for a single-factor model of the data (in total, French, and German version). Additionally, construct validity was assessed by elucidating intercorrelations between the ASKU and different factors that should theoretically be related to ASKU. Furthermore, we confirmed configural and metric as well as scalar invariance between the different language versions, meaning that all forms of statistical comparison between the developed French version and the original German version are allowed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workplace mobbing is a serious phenomenon that is costly to organizations and has various negative consequences of those targeted. The main purpose of the present study was to develop and validate a new short scale of workplace mobbing experience in three different language versions (German, French, Luxembourgish). Data were collected via computer-assisted telephone interviews in a sample of 1,500 employees working in Luxembourg (aged 17-64 years; 52.7% male) who were representative of the commuter structure of Luxembourg's workforce. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed that the newly developed five-item Luxembourg Workplace Mobbing Scale (LWMS) has good psychometric properties and partial scalar measurement invariance for the three different language versions. Internal consistency was satisfactory (α = .73). Correlations and hierarchical regression analysis with different working condition scales and psychological health scales confirm the construct validity of the new questionnaire. Although the present findings are preliminary in nature, they nevertheless support the reliability and validity of the scale and its use in psychological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]