Estresse ocupacional em policiais militares: adaptação e validação transcultural no Brasil das escalas PSQ-OP e PSQ-ORG

Abstract

Occupational stress is understood as the process in which an individual perceives work situations as stressors and, by exceeding their coping capacity causes negative reactions in them. The definition if a certain situation is stressor occurs in an individual and particular way. Each professional has a particular perception of what is or is not considered a work-related stressor. What may seem like a positive challenge to one may seem like a threat to another. Faced with this reality are the military policemen, who encounter daily situations that can trigger stress. There was no scale to measure the level of stress in the work of the military police in Brazil. Thus, in order to fill this gap, a reliable, valid and objective psychometric measurement was necessary. The main objective of this study is to perform the trans-cultural adaptation and validation of the PSQ-Op and PSQ-Org scales, that were proposed by McCreary and Thompson (2006), to the context of Brazilian military police. To reach this objective, an exploratory-descriptive research was carried out, with a qualitative and quantitative character, and survey was the strategy. The trans-cultural adaptation consisted of the following phases: initial translation; synthesis of translations; back translation; review by Expert Committee and pre-test. After the pre-test, the final version of the PSQ-Op and PSQ-Org instruments were obtained, which were submitted to the verification of their psychometric properties. To this end, a sample of 715 military police from the state of Rio Grande do Sul answered the questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the RStudio software, 3.5.2 version. The unidimensionality of the two scales was confirmed, and the Cronbach’s Alpha denoted the excellent internal consistency, with indices superior to 0.9. For the validation process, it was carried out a factorial analysis of the data, descriptive statistics and the techniques of Classical Theory of Tests (TCT) and Item Response Theory (TRI). The Gradual Response Model (MRG) tests were than carried out, showing satisfactory discrimination indexes of the two scales, thus remaining all items of the original scale. Through the analysis of the parameters of difficulty, it was identified that most of the items of the two scales were evaluated with moderate level of stress, as well as the Function of Information of the Items (FII), the Function of Information of the Test (FIT), and the anchors of the PSQ-Op and PSQ-Org scales. In the descriptive statistics the average level of operational stress and the average level of organizational stress were obtained. The results of the PSQ-Op application showed that the three stressors that contributed significantly to the average level of operational stress of the military police sample were: 1) risk of being injured at work; 2) bureaucracy; and 3) occupational health problems. From the application of the PSQ-Org scale it was identified the three stressors that contribute to the average level of Organizational Stress, which are: 1) shortage of personnel; 2) lack of resources; and 3) excessive bureaucracy. In conclusion, this study reached the proposed goal, since it was carried out the trans-cultural adaptation and validation of the PSQ-Op and PSQ-Org scales to measure stress levels in Brazilian military police. With the results of the application of the scales, it is possible to intervene through prevention and treatment strategies, aiming to helpthese professionals to experience the rigor of the profession. It is hoped that such actions will contribute positively to individuals, families, corporation and society in general. Finally, it is believed that this study contributed to the advancement of studies on this subject.