Psychometric properties of the Experience of Work and Life Circumstances Questionnaire and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist

Abstract

The aim of this research was to investigate the reliability and validity of the Experience of Work and Life Circumstances Questionnaire and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist when administered to a convenience sample of 241 fire-fighters from a metropolitan municipality. The results indicate that these two measuring instruments yielded acceptable internal-consistency reliability coefficients for most of the subscales of the questionnaires. Construct validity was investigated by means of exploratory factor analysis. It was concluded that the measuring instruments are fit to be used for diagnostic and developmental purposes and during counselling to enhance the psychological wellbeing of fire-fighters and their families.