ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews theoretical and methodological issues relating to the measurement of occupational stress and describes the procedures used in developing the Norwegian adaptation of Spielberger's Job Stress Survey (JSS). A preliminary form of the Norwegian JSS (JSS-N) was administered to 626 workers from seven different occupational groups, varying in size from 50 to 127 subjects. The results of factor analyses showed that the factor structure of the JSS-N was similar to that of the original American JSS and that Job pressure and Lack of organizational support were the main factors. In the seven groups of Norwegian workers who were studied, substantial differences in job stress levels were found in both the perceived Severity and Frequency of occurrence of occupational stress. Police officers, nurses, and teachers reported the highest overall stress levels; bank clerks and firemen reported the lowest levels. Norwegian females perceived most of the workplace stressors assessed by the JSS-N as more stressful to their well-being than the Norwegian males.
