Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5559/di.20.2.11
Construction of Coping with Job Loss Scale
Darja MASLIĆ SERŠIĆ
; Filozofski fakultet, Zagreb
Majda ŠAVOR
; Hrvatski zavod za zapošljavanje, Područna služba Karlovac, Karlovac
Abstract
The purpose was to construct the Coping with job loss scale and
to examine its construct validity. An extensive study was conducted
in three steps: (1) According to previous research on coping
strategies based on Lazarus’ transactional stress theory, recent
research of coping with job loss, as well as a qualitative analysis
of the experience of own work with unemployed persons in
Croatia, a pool of items that describe the individual’s cognitions
and behaviors after job loss was defined. (2) The preliminary
version of the questionnaire was applied on a sample of
unemployed persons (N=104). According to the parameters of
descriptive statistics for the items and results of the factor analysis,
the first version of the questionnaire was defined. (3) The
questionnaire was applied on a new sample of unemployed
persons (N=462) and the final version was defined – 26 items
that define 4 coping strategies: proactive job search, occasional
work, job devaluation and problem distancing. The relations
between measured coping strategies and other variables were
analyzed to test further the construct validity of the questionnaire.
The results showed good metric characteristics of the
questionnaire, factor analysis suggested four interpretable factors
which correspond to four coping strategies, and each coping strategy subscale had acceptable internal reliability. Supposed
relationships of demographic variables and cognitive appraisal
variables with measured coping strategies were also confirmed.
Keywords
coping strategies; job loss; scale construction; unemployment
Hrčak ID:
69568
URI
Publication date:
15.6.2011.
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