Assessing Occupational Stress in Mexican Private Security Guards: The DECORE-22 Questionnaire

The private security guards in Mexico perceive high levels of stress. However, the use of validated instruments to assess job stress in this group is scarce. Psychometric properties of the DECORE questionnaire were analyzed in a sample of Mexican private security guards, as well as to examine their level of stress. A crosssectional study was carried out with a non-probabilistic quota sampling in which 933 workers participated, 596 men and 337 women, with a mean age of 35 years (SD=11.25). The results showed an adequate fit using a 22-item model, but not the 44-item model. To check the convergent validity of the DECORE, other questionnaires were applied (ERIQ, MBI and GHQ). Regarding the level of stress, the workers that participated in the study perceive a moderate to medium-high level of stress. It is recommended to apply the DECORE questionnaire in its 22-item version.