COPSOQ validation in Germany
COPSOQ is available in more than 25 languages, with national validation studies documented for 27 countries.
COPSOQ is among the most widely studied survey instruments for psychosocial working conditions. The COPSOQ International Network lists national validation studies for 27 countries and states that the instrument is available in more than 25 languages. The international validation of COPSOQ III (Burr et al. 2019) tested it in six countries with 23,361 employees. For the German standard version, with 84 items in 31 scales, Lincke et al. 2021 report Cronbach-α values from 0.53 to 0.92. No source publishes a count of German companies using COPSOQ; what is documented is that more than 800,000 employees in Germany have completed it. Compared to KFZA (stressor-focused) and SALSA (resource-focused), COPSOQ covers both sides.
Countries with documented national COPSOQ validation studies (COPSOQ International Network)
Countries with national validation studies
COPSOQ International Network
Items in the German standard version
in 31 scales, Lincke et al. 2021
Items in the international long version
in 45 dimensions, Burr et al. 2019
Employees in Germany who have completed COPSOQ
copsoq.de, FFAW Freiburg
What COPSOQ does
The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) is an internationally standardised survey instrument for psychosocial working conditions. Versions I and II were developed at the Danish National Research Centre for the Working Environment (NFA); the current version III is maintained by the International COPSOQ Network. The German version is maintained by the Freiburg Research Centre for Occupational Sciences (FFAW). The German standard version has 84 items in 31 scales, the international long version 148 items in 45 dimensions.
Reach and validation
The COPSOQ International Network lists national validation studies for 27 countries and states that the instrument is available in more than 25 languages. The international validation of COPSOQ III (Burr et al. 2019) tested it in 2016 and 2017 with 23,361 employees in Canada, Spain, France, Germany, Sweden and Turkey. For Germany, FFAW states that more than 800,000 employees have completed COPSOQ. The German validation study (Lincke et al. 2021) analyses 257,236 participants from 966 risk-assessment surveys, as of February 2020.
Across all scales of the German standard version, Cronbach-α ranges from 0.53 to 0.92. In the international study three scales show insufficient internal consistency, with values between 0.64 and 0.69. A blanket statement that all core scales sit between 0.75 and 0.90 does not reflect the data.
Comparison with other instruments
- KFZA (short questionnaire on work analysis): shorter, stressor-focused, less comprehensive
- SALSA (salutogenic subjective work analysis): more resource-oriented
- BGW miab (employee-oriented audit): sector-specific to care work
- COPSOQ III: covers both demands and resources, with international benchmarks
- The BAuA toolbox listed COPSOQ in the German standard version. That toolbox reflects the state of 2010 and is, per BAuA, no longer current and out of print
Sources
- 1
COPSOQ III in Germany: validation of a standard instrument to measure psychosocial factors at work
Lincke et al., Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology 16:50, 2021
Deutsche Standardversion: 84 Items in 31 Skalen, Cronbach-α von 0,53 bis 0,92 (Tab. 2). Stichprobe: 257.236 Teilnehmende aus 966 Befragungen zur Gefährdungsbeurteilung, Datenstand Februar 2020.
Quelle öffnen Abgerufen: 2026-08-24 - 2
The Third Version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire
Burr et al., Safety and Health at Work 10(4), 2019
Getestet 2016 bis 2017 an 23.361 Beschäftigten in Kanada, Spanien, Frankreich, Deutschland, Schweden und der Türkei. Internationale Langversion: 148 Items in 45 Dimensionen. COPSOQ III wurde vom International COPSOQ Network entwickelt, die Versionen I und II vom dänischen NFA.
Quelle öffnen Abgerufen: 2026-08-24 - 3
COPSOQ International Network, Validation Studies
COPSOQ International Network, 2026
Nationale Validierungsstudien für 27 Länder gelistet. Das Netzwerk gibt an, COPSOQ liege in über 25 Sprachen vor.
Quelle öffnen Abgerufen: 2026-08-24 - 4
COPSOQ Deutschland, Was ist COPSOQ
Freiburger Forschungsstelle für Arbeitswissenschaften (FFAW), 2026
Wörtlich: Bis heute haben allein in Deutschland über 800.000 Beschäftigte den COPSOQ ausgefüllt. Eine Zahl der einsetzenden Unternehmen wird nicht genannt.
Quelle öffnen Abgerufen: 2026-08-24 - 5
Toolbox Version 1.2, Instrumente zur Erfassung psychischer Belastungen (Bericht F 1965)
BAuA (Richter), 2010
Enthält den Eintrag COPSOQ, deutsche Standardversion. Die BAuA weist auf der Katalogseite darauf hin, dass die Toolbox den Stand von 2010 wiedergibt, nicht mehr aktuell und vergriffen ist.
Quelle öffnen Abgerufen: 2026-08-24
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Further reading
Related datasets
GB Psych coverage
47,4 % · Inspected businesses without a risk assessment (GDA Psyche programme 2013-2018, not a random sample)
Sick days mental illness
342 · Sick days per 100 employees from mental illness (DAK Psychreport 2025, data year 2024)
Tools & guides
Compliance, not calculations.
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