Logically the measurement of the stress
state must be based primarily on self-report
measures which focus on the appraisal
process and on the emotional
experience of stress. Measures relating to
appraisal need to consider the worker’s
perceptions of the demands on them,
their ability to cope with those demands,
their needs and the extent to which they
are fulfilled by work, the control they have
over work and the support they receive in
relation to work. Therefore, eliciting and
modelling the knowledge and perceptions
of employees is central to the assessment
and measurement process. Despite their
obvious centrality and importance, self-report
measures of appraisal and the emotional
experience of stress are, on their
own, insufficient. While their reliability
can be established in terms of their internal
structure or performance over time
without reference to other data, their validity
cannot.