Development and validation of the Psychosocial Risks Questionnaire for Musicians (PRQM)

Abstract

Despite the constantly growing exposure to psychosocial hazards as well as their health and occupational consequences, research on psychosocial risks among musicians is exceptionally scarce. Moreover, previous studies on psychosocial risks and occupational stress among professional musicians have used a wide variety of measurement methods. The questionnaire we have developed assesses both the occurrence and stressfulness of particular work demands. Thus, it includes the “potential harm” caused by particular work aspects, described in the World Health Organization definition of psychosocial risks. Our questionnaire allows for measuring the general index of the occurrence and stressfulness of psychosocial risks in musicians’ work places, but also the occurrence and stressfulness of eight distinct categories of psychosocial risks: Job Content, Work Environment, Work-Home Interference, Relationships, Lack of Stability, Development Possibilities, Home-Work Interference, and Tools. The Psychosocial Risks Questionnaire for Musicians (PRQM) has satisfactory reliability (Cronbach’s alpha for the whole scale is 0.89 and from 0.74 to 0.86 for particular subscales). The PRQM correlates significantly with self-assessed work demands and stress symptoms (positive relationships) as well as with self-assessed physical and mental condition, control at work and coping ability (negative relationships).