Convergent and discriminant validity of job descriptive index

Abstract

The issue of job satisfaction has been the focus of many research in industrial and organizational psychology as it is one indicator of high performance. Many psychological instruments were developed to measure job satisfaction and one of them is the Job Descriptive Index (JDI). The JDI provides more specific information on the aspects of a job that an individual finds rewarding than do more general measures of job satisfaction. This research aims at evaluating the psychometric properties of the Job Descriptive Index (JDI) particularly the convergent and discriminant validation. A total of 366 respondents were selected among the police officers serving as security officers in a specific organization. They were asked to complete the Job Descriptive Index (JDI). The JDI is a paper-and-pencil inventory of the degree to which vocational needs and values are satisfied on a job. The JDI can be administered to groups or to individuals, and is appropriate for use with individuals who can read at the fifth grade level or higher. It measures job satisfaction on five subscales. Statistical analyses that were employed to analyze the data were Pearson correlation, Cronbach alpha and multitrait-multimethod analysis using W's concordance. Results showed that the JDI has satisfactory concurrent validity with the five subscales of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). The findings clearly showed evidence that construct validity was established in the matrix of multitrait-multimethod analysis. In addition, the JDI has criterion validity with significant correlation between job satisfaction and organizational commitment. These evidences of construct and criterion validity is further supported with the results of high Cronbach alpha indicating that it is a valid and reliable instrument to measure job satisfaction.