Revising the JDI work satisfaction subscale: Insights into stress and control

The Job Descriptive Index (JDI) is a widely used facet measure of job satisfaction that has undergone several revisions since its first publication in 1969. A revision in 1985 added items that, in subsequent research, appeared to tap work stress rather than work satisfaction. To illuminate the contaminating effect of these items, the authors analyzed two samples (n = 1,623 and n = 314) that also contained test items hypothesized to tap job control. A multigroup confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor solution and provided evidence supporting the removal of the contaminating items from the JDI. The presence of factorially complex items, however, indicated that some content overlap remains in the measure. Hierarchical regression results supported predictions about relationships between satisfaction, stress, and control. Results of the study have implications for development of occupational satisfaction measures and further refinement of stress, control, and satisfaction constructs.