Development and validation of a work stressor scale for Australian farming families

McShane, Connar J., Quirk, Frances, and Swinbourne, Anne (2016) Development and validation of a work stressor scale for Australian farming families. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 24 (4). pp. 238-245.

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DOI: 10.1111/ajr.12261

View at Publisher Website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12261

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this research was to gain insight into the key stressors for Australian farming families. It is well established that the farming work environment consists of a number of unique stressors which arise from dependency on factors beyond an individual’s control (e.g. climate conditions) as well as the overlap between work and family environments. Despite this, limited research has included family factors in the assessment of stress felt by farmers and their families. This research sought to develop a scale of stressors for farming families in an Australian sample.

Design: A survey design was used for validity and reliability studies. The validity study involved assessment of factor structure, concurrent validity and discriminant validity. The reliability study used a test-retest reliability design.

Participants: Participants were recruited from across Australia (38% Queensland; 30% New South Wales) and multiple industries (43% beef; 27% broadacre cropping; 26% horticulture). The validity study involved 278 participants and the reliability study involved 53 participants.

Main Outcome Measure: Development of a farming family stressor scale.

Results: The generated Farming Family Stressor scale presented satisfactory levels of concurrent validity (e.g. r=.73 against the Farm Stress Survey total score), discriminant validity (e.g. r=-.42 to r=.53 against the Satisfaction with Life and Kessler-10 total scores respectively), internal consistency (Cronbach alpha >.90) and test-retest reliability (rho>.66).

Conclusion: This research lends insight into the complexity of stressors for farming families and has implications for occupational health and mental health programs that seek to reduce stress and improve health outcomes for that group.


Item ID:	41239
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1440-1584
Keywords:	farming stress; rural health; psychological wellbeing; measure development; family stress
Date Deposited:	14 Mar 2016 05:00
FoR Codes:	52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5201 Applied and developmental psychology > 520108 Testing, assessment and psychometrics @ 40% 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5205 Social and personality psychology > 520505 Social psychology @ 60%
SEO Codes:	92 HEALTH > 9205 Specific Population Health (excl. Indigenous Health) > 920506 Rural Health @ 50% 92 HEALTH > 9205 Specific Population Health (excl. Indigenous Health) > 920504 Occupational Health @ 50%
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