Top

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

Published in:

01-01-2014 | Original Article

Psychometric properties of a German organizational justice questionnaire (G-OJQ) and its association with self-rated health: findings from the Mannheim Industrial Cohort Studies (MICS)

Authors: Raphael M. Herr, Jian Li, Jos A. Bosch, Burkhard Schmidt, David M. DeJoy, Joachim E. Fischer, Adrian Loerbroks

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 1/2014

Abstract

Purpose

The objective of the present study was to validate a German 11-item organizational justice questionnaire (G-OJQ) that consists of two subscales, referred to as “procedural justice” (PJ) and “interactional justice” (IJ) adapted from Moorman’s organizational justice (OJ) questionnaire. A second objective was to determine associations of the G-OJQ with self-rated health.

Methods

This study used cross-sectional data from an occupational cohort of 1518 factory workers from Germany (87.7 % male; mean age = 38.8 with SD = 11.9). After splitting the sample in two random subsamples, we assessed structural validity by exploratory factor analyses in one subsample and by confirmatory factor analysis in the other subsample. Internal validity was assessed by Cronbach’s α. Associations with self-reported poor health were estimated by logistic regression.

Results

The full scale and its subscales yielded Cronbach’s α’s of ≥0.9, and item-total correlations were ≥0.5. Factor analyses confirmed the expected 2-factor structure, labeled “interactional justice” (IJ, 4 items, λ 0.43–0.94) and “procedural justice” (PJ, 7 items, λ 0.46–0.83), respectively, and showed an acceptable fit to the data (χ ² = 61; p = .001; CFI = 0.995; RMSEA = 0.037). The OJ total score as well as subscale scores in the lowest quartile, when compared to the highest quartile, was associated with an ≥2.3 increased odds of reporting poor health.

Conclusion

The G-OJQ seems to be a valid and useful tool for observational and intervention studies in occupational settings. Future studies may additionally explore longitudinal associations and test the generalizability of the present findings to other populations and health outcomes.

Barclay LJ, Skarlicki DP, Pugh SD (2005) Exploring the role of emotions in injustice perceptions and retaliation. J Appl Psychol 90(4):629–643. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.90.4.629 CrossRef

Benyamini Y (2011) Why does self-rated health predict mortality? An update on current knowledge and a research agenda for psychologists. Psychol Health 26(11):1407–1413. doi:10(1080/08870446),2011,621703 CrossRef

Bies RJ, Moag JS (1986) Interactional justice: Communication criteria of fairness. In: Lewicki RJ, Sheppard BH, Bazerman MH (eds) Research on negotiations in organizations, vol 1. JAI Press Inc., Greenwich, Conn., pp 43–55

Cheng Y, Huang H-Y, Li P-R, Hsu J-H (2011) Employment insecurity, workplace justice and employees’ burnout in Taiwanese employees: a validation study. Int J Behav Med 18(4):391–401CrossRef

Cohen-Charash Y, Spector PE (2001) The role of justice in organizations: a meta-analysis. Organ Behav Hum Decis Process 86:278–321CrossRef

Colquitt JA (2001) On the dimensionality of organizational justice: a construct validation of a measure. J Appl Psychol 86(3):386–400CrossRef

Colquitt JA, Conlon DE, Wesson MJ, Porter CO, Ng KY (2001) Justice at the millennium: a meta-analytic review of 25 years of organizational justice research. J Appl Psychol 86(3):425–445CrossRef

Cooper CL, Williams S (1994) Creating healthy work organizations. Wiley, Chichester

Danna K, Griffin RW (1999) Health and well-being in the workplace: a review and synthesis of the literature. J Manag 25(3):357–384

De Vogli R, Ferrie JE, Chandola T, Kivimaki M, Marmot MG (2007) Unfairness and health: evidence from the Whitehall II Study. J Epidemiol Community Health 61(6):513–518. doi:10.1136/jech.2006.052563 CrossRef

DeJoy DM, Wilson MG (2003) Organizational health promotion: broadening the horizon of workplace health promotion. Am J Health Promot 17(5):337–341CrossRef

Elovainio M, Kivimaki M, Vahtera J (2002) Organizational justice: evidence of a new psychosocial predictor of health. Am J Public Health 92(1):105–108. doi:10.2105/ajph.92.1.105 CrossRef

Elovainio M, Kivimaki M, Vahtera J, Keltikangas-Jarvinen L, Virtanen M (2003) Sleeping problems and health behaviors as mediators between organizational justice and health. Health Psychol 22(3):287–293. doi:10.1037/0278-6133.22.3.287 CrossRef

Elovainio M, Kivimaki M, Steen N, Vahtera J (2004) Job decision latitude, organizational justice and health: multilevel covariance structure analysis. Soc Sci Med 58(9):1659–1669. doi:10.1016/s0277-9536(03)00366-6 CrossRef

Elovainio M, van den Bos K, Linna A, Kivimaki M, Ala-Mursula L, Pentti J, Vahtera J (2005) Combined effects of uncertainty and organizational justice on employee health: testing the uncertainty management model of fairness judgments among Finnish public sector employees. Soc Sci Med 61(12):2501–2512. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.04.046 CrossRef

Elovainio M, Kivimaki M, Puttonen S, Lindholm H, Pohjonen T, Sinervo T (2006a) Organisational injustice and impaired cardiovascular regulation among female employees. Occup Environ Med 63(2):141–144. doi:10.1136/oem.2005.019737 CrossRef

Elovainio M, Leino-Arjas P, Vahtera J, Kivimaki M (2006b) Justice at work and cardiovascular mortality: a prospective cohort study. J Psychosom Res 61(2):271–274. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2006.02.018 CrossRef

Elovainio M, Ferrie JE, Gimeno D, De Vogli R, Shipley M, Brunner EJ, Kumari M, Vahtera J, Marmot MG, Kivimaki M (2009) Organizational justice and sleeping problems: the Whitehall II study. Psychosom Med 71(3):334–340. doi:10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181960665 CrossRef

Elovainio M, Ferrie JE, Singh-Manoux A, Gimeno D, De Vogli R, Shipley M, Vahtera J, Brunner E, Marmot MG, Kivimaki M (2010a) Organisational justice and markers of inflammation: the Whitehall II study. Occup Environ Med 67(2):78–83. doi:10.1136/oem.2008.044917 CrossRef

Elovainio M, Heponiemi T, Sinervo T, Magnavita N (2010b) Organizational justice and health; review of evidence. G Ital Med Lav Ergon 32((3 Suppl B)):B5–9

Elovainio M, Singh-Manoux A, Ferrie JE, Shipley M, Gimeno D, De Vogli R, Vahtera J, Virtanen M, Jokela M, Marmot MG, Kivimaki M (2012) Organisational justice and cognitive function in middle-aged employees: the Whitehall II study. J Epidemiol Commun Health 66(6):552–556. doi:10.1136/jech.2010.113407 CrossRef

Ferrie JE, Head J, Shipley MJ, Vahtera J, Marmot MG, Kivimaki M (2006) Injustice at work and incidence of psychiatric morbidity: the Whitehall II study. Occup Environ Med 63(7):443–450. doi:10.1136/oem.2005.022269 CrossRef

Folger R, Greenberg J (1985) Procedural justice: An interpretative analysis of personnel systems. In: Rowland KM (ed) Research in personnel and human resources management, vol 3. JAI Press Inc., Greenwich, Conn., pp 141–183

Fujishiro K, Heaney CA (2009) Justice at work, job stress, and employee health. Health Education & Behavior 36(3):487–504. doi:10.1177/1090198107306435 CrossRef

Gimeno D, Tabak AG, Ferrie JE, Shipley MJ, De Vogli R, Elovainio M, Vahtera J, Marmot MG, Kivimaki M (2010) Justice at work and metabolic syndrome: the Whitehall II study. Occup Environ Med 67(4):256–262. doi:10.1136/oem.2009.047324 CrossRef

Head J, Kivimaki M, Siegrist J, Ferrie JE, Vahtera J, Shipley MJ, Marmot MG (2007) Effort-reward imbalance and relational injustice at work predict sickness absence: the Whitehall II study. J Psychosom Res 63(4):433–440. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2007.06.021 CrossRef

Helkavaara M, Saastamoinen P, Lahelma E (2011) Psychosocial work environment and emotional exhaustion among middle-aged employees. BMC Res Notes 4:101. doi:10.1186/1756-0500-4-101 CrossRef

Inoue A, Kawakami N, Tsutsumi A, Shimazu A, Tsuchiya M, Ishizaki M, Tabata M, Akiyama M, Kitazume A, Kuroda M, Kivimaki M (2009) Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the organizational justice questionnaire. J Occup Health 51(1):74–83CrossRef

Jaffe DT (1995) The healthy company: research paradigms for personal and organizational health. In: Sauter SL, Murphy LR (eds) Organizational risk factors for job stress. Am Psychol Assoc, Washington, pp 13–39CrossRef

Kawachi I (2006) Injustice at work and health: causation or correlation? Occup Environ Med 63(9):578–579. doi:10.1136/oem.2006.028365 CrossRef

Kivimaki M, Elovainio M, Vahtera J, Ferrie JE (2003a) Organisational justice and health of employees: prospective cohort study. Occup Environ Med 60(1):27–33 (Discussion 33-24)CrossRef

Kivimaki M, Elovainio M, Vahtera J, Virtanen M, Stansfeld SA (2003b) Association between organizational inequity and incidence of psychiatric disorders in female employees. Psychol Med 33(2):319–326CrossRef

Kivimaki M, Ferrie JE, Head J, Shipley MJ, Vahtera J, Marmot MG (2004) Organisational justice and change in justice as predictors of employee health: the Whitehall II study. J Epidemiol Community Health 58(11):931–937. doi:10.1136/jech.2003.019026 CrossRef

Kivimaki M, Ferrie JE, Brunner E, Head J, Shipley MJ, Vahtera J, Marmot MG (2005) Justice at work and reduced risk of coronary heart disease among employees: the Whitehall II Study. Arch Intern Med 165(19):2245–2251. doi:10.1001/archinte.165.19.2245 CrossRef

Kivimaki M, Vahtera J, Elovainio M, Virtanen M, Siegrist J (2007) Effort-reward imbalance, procedural injustice and relational injustice as psychosocial predictors of health: complementary or redundant models? Occup Environ Med 64(10):659–665. doi:10.1136/oem.2006.031310 CrossRef

Kivimaki M, Ferrie JE, Shipley M, Gimeno D, Elovainio M, de Vogli R, Vahtera J, Marmot MG, Head J (2008) Effects on blood pressure do not explain the association between organizational justice and coronary heart disease in the Whitehall II study. Psychosom Med 70(1):1–6. doi:10.1097/PSY.0b013e31815aaca3 CrossRef

Kouvonen A, Vahtera J, Elovainio M, Cox SJ, Cox T, Linna A, Virtanen M, Kivimaki M (2007) Organisational justice and smoking: the Finnish public sector study. J Epidemiol Community Health 61(5):427–433. doi:10.1136/jech.2007.061739 CrossRef

Kouvonen A, Kivimaki M, Elovainio M, Vaananen A, De Vogli R, Heponiemi T, Linna A, Pentti J, Vahtera J (2008) Low organisational justice and heavy drinking: a prospective cohort study. Occup Environ Med 65(1):44–50. doi:10.1136/oem.2007.032755 CrossRef

Leventhal GS (1980) What should be done with equity theory? New approaches to the study of fairness in social relationship. In: Gergen K, Greenberg M, Willis R (eds) Social exchange: advances in theory and research. Plenum Press, New York, pp 27–55CrossRef

Liljegren M, Ekberg K (2009) The associations between perceived distributive, procedural, and interactional organizational justice, self-rated health and burnout. Work 33(1):43–51. doi:10.3233/WOR-2009-0842

Moorman RH (1991) The relationship between organizational justice and organizational citizenship behavior: do fairness perceptions influence employee citizenship? J Appl Psychol 76:845–855CrossRef

Thibaut JW, Walker L (1975) Procedural justice: a psychological analysis. L. Erlbaum Associates; distributed by the Halsted Press Division of Wiley, Hillsdale, New York

WHO (2000) Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Technical Report Geneva

Winter AC, Hoffmann W, Meisinger C, Evers S, Vennemann M, Pfaffenrath V, Fendrich K, Baumeister SE, Kurth T, Berger K (2011) Association between lifestyle factors and headache. J Headache Pain 12(2):147–155. doi:10.1007/s10194-010-0286-0 CrossRef

Ylipaavalniemi J, Kivimaki M, Elovainio M, Virtanen M, Keltikangas-Jarvinen L, Vahtera J (2005) Psychosocial work characteristics and incidence of newly diagnosed depression: a prospective cohort study of three different models. Soc Sci Med 61(1):111–122. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2004.11.038 CrossRef

Title: Psychometric properties of a German organizational justice questionnaire (G-OJQ) and its association with self-rated health: findings from the Mannheim Industrial Cohort Studies (MICS)
Authors: Raphael M. Herr
Jian Li
Jos A. Bosch
Burkhard Schmidt
David M. DeJoy
Joachim E. Fischer
Adrian Loerbroks
Publication date: 01-01-2014
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 1/2014
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-012-0839-4

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Psychometric properties of a German organizational justice questionnaire (G-OJQ) and its association with self-rated health: findings from the Mannheim Industrial Cohort Studies (MICS)

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2014

Modifying effects of gender, age and enterprise size on the associations between workplace justice and health

Response: Letter to the Editor of IAOEH by BonKyoo Choi et al. (10.1007/s00420-013-0908-3)

Re: Siegrist J, Dragano N, Nyberg ST et al. validating abbreviated measures of effort-reward imbalance at work in European cohort studies: the IPD-Work consortium

Effects of ergonomic intervention on work-related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders among computer workers: a randomized controlled trial

Asthma related to workplace dampness and impaired work ability

Burgdorf, Plewig, Wolff, Landthaler (eds): Braun-Falco’s dermatology