THE STANDARD SHIFTWORK INDEX - A BATTERY OF QUESTIONNAIRES FOR ASSESSING SHIFTWORK-RELATED PROBLEMS

The lack of standardization in shiftwork research has been recognized. In response, a battery of self-report questionnaires has been develop ed, which might usefully be employed in assessing the impact of differ ent types of shift systems on large groups of individuals. The scales included reflect the most pertinent issues within shiftwork research, and were chosen on the basis of being both relatively short, easy to a dminister, and having good psychometric properties. The scales fall br oadly into three main categories: outcomes, relating to the actual pro blems experienced by the individuals concerned; modifiers, relating to those differences between individuals which may serve to moderate the impact of shiftwork; and general, including work context and shift sy stem details. Suggestions as to how the questionnaires might usefully be employed are offered. Based on the results of a large sample of nur ses and midwives, and a second sample of industrial and service worker s, the present paper offers: a set of normative data against which com parisons with other shiftworking groups can be made; the identificatio n of the relationships that exist between the outcome and modifier var iables; and evidence of the sensitivity of the scales in differentiati ng between groups of shiftworkers on different types of shift systems.