© 2020 DSR Publishers / The University of Jordan. All Rights Reserved.
1
Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, Princess Aisha Bint Al-Hussein College of
Nursing and Health Sciences, Nursing Department, Ma'an, Jordan, E mail:
Hadid.l@ahu.edu.jo, lourans71@hotmail.com.
Assistant Professor,
2
Alzaytoonah University of Jordan, Faculty of Nursing, E mail:
arwa.alburmawi@zuj.edu.jo
3
(Corresponding author), Assistant Professor, An-Najah National University,
Faculty of medicine and health sciences, E mail: Jamal9877@najah.edu
4
Assistant Professor, Mutah University, Faculty of Nursing, E mail:
sagarat74@mutah.edu.jo
5
Prof. Professor, University of Wollongong, School of Nursing, E mail:
lmoxham@uow.edu.au
.
Measuring the Psychometric Properties of the Arabic
Version of DCL Scale to Measure Work-Related Stress
among Jordanian Nurses
Lourance A. E. Al Hadid
1*
, Marwa Al Barmawi
2
, Jamal A.S. Qaddumi
3
,
Ahmed Al-Sagarat
4
, Lorna Moxham
5
Abstract
Background: Nursing role is instrumental to effective patient care, but the level and standards of
clinical practice can be affected by stress. Work-related stress among nurses working in mental health
units in Jordan has not been investigated using an instrument in Arabic.
Aim: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Devilliers, Carson, and Leary
(DCL) Stress Scale when used on Jordanian mental health nurses.
Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used on a convenience, non-probability sample of
Jordanian 99 nurses working in three public hospitals.
Results: The Arabic version of the DCL demonstrated acceptable levels of validity and reliability when
it was used on mental health nurses working in units caring for psychiatric patients Jordan.
Conclusions: A reliable and valid instrument that is useful in determining levels of stress in nursing
staff. Another facet of findings in this study is to the empirical evidence on the presence of high stress
among mental health nurses, which should be taken into consideration among health care planners in
mental health in Jordan. Therefore, nurse managers can use these findings to implement actions
necessary to alleviate work-related stress among nurses in order to improve retention and decrease the
negative impact of stress on nurses’ wellbeing.
Keywords: Mental Health, Nurses, DCL Scale, Jordan, Work-Related Stress
(J Med J 2020; Vol. 4 5 (4):145-156)
Received Accepted
February 2, 2018 August 5, 2020
Introduction
Worldwide mental health nurses have been
recognized as experiencing high level of stress
in their workplaces. Heavy work-load, widely
ranging and complex sets of tasks and
responsibilities, large emotional demands and
dealing with highly potential violent and self-
harming patients have been acknowledged as
important sources of occupational stress for the
mental health nursing population
(1)
.
Mentally ill patients requiring treatment and
care within unique environments are often