title: Measuring potential predictors of burnout and engagement among young veterinary professionals; construction of a customised questionnaire (the Vet-DRQ).
abstract: The Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R model) was used as the theoretical basis of a tailormade questionnaire to measure the psychosocial work environment and personal resources of recently graduated veterinary professionals. According to the JD-R model, two broad categories of work characteristics that determine employee wellbeing can be distinguished: job demands and job resources. Recently, the JD-R model has been expanded by integrating personal resource measures into the model. Three semistructured group interviews with veterinarians active in different work domains were conducted to identify relevant job demands, job resources and personal resources. These demands and resources were organised in themes (constructs). For measurement purposes, a set of questions ('a priori scale') was selected from the literature for each theme. The full set of a priori scales was included in a questionnaire that was administered to 1760 veterinary professionals. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were conducted to arrive at the final set of validated scales (final scales). 860 veterinarians (73 per cent females) participated. The final set of scales consisted of seven job demands scales (32 items), nine job resources scales (41 items), and six personal resources scales (26 items) which were considered to represent the most relevant potential predictors of work-related wellbeing in this occupational group. The procedure resulted in a tailormade questionnaire: the Veterinary Job Demands and Resources Questionnaire (Vet-DRQ). The use of valid theory and validated scales enhances opportunities for comparative national and international research.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Chair Quality Improvement in Veterinary Education, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80163, Utrecht 3508TD, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: N J J M
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Mastenbroek
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Demerouti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van Beukelen
authors.forename: A M M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Muijtjens
authors.forename: A J J A
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Scherpbier
authors.forename: A D C
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Jaarsma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011594:Psychometrics; D036301:Qualitative Research; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018634:Veterinarians / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Practice management; Stress; Veterinary profession; Welfare