WORKPLACE RISK FACTORS FOR ALCOHOL ABUSE

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This research examines the relationship between the kinds of work people do in industry, the degree to which they work in settings that allow for participation in decision making, and their problem use of alcohol. It tests a model that proposes that the effects of low job control and low decisional participation are linked to problem alcohol behavior by way of powerlessness, and are moderated by the alcohol culture of the work setting and the existence or absence of effective programs (EAPs) that try to modify drinking behavior. It also proposes that problem drinking behavior is associated with diminished work performance. The following hypotheses are tested: (1) the less control individuals exercise over the particular routines of their work lives, the greater will be their propensity to abuse alcohol; (2) the less the work environment allows for participation in decision making, the greater will be the propensity to abuse alcohol; (3) the effects of low job control and low decisional participation on problem drinking behavior are additive. All other things being equal, individuals with the least amount of control over their work and the lowest probability of being involved in enterprise decision making will show the highest incidence of alcohol abuse; (4) lack of job control and decisional participation are related to the development of a sense of powerlessness among individuals; (5) powerlessness is associated with problem drinking behavior; (6) the effects of job control, decisional participation, and powerlessness on problem drinking behavior is modified by the workplace alcohol culture and the effectiveness of organizational efforts to modify drinking behavior; (7) problem alcohol behavior is associated with diminished work performance. In addition to the multivariate testing and elaboration of these hypotheses, the research will also try to consider all of the variables together in a single model. Because these are multiple indicators for most of the key variables, the model will be assessed using structural equation methods. The research will be conducted in Pacific- Northwest wood products plants differentiated by their form of decisional organization within plants, respondents will be sampled by job control category. Thus, respondents to the questionnaire phase of the study will be comprised of assembly, continuous process, and skilled workers from conventional-non-union, conventional-union, and producer cooperatives. A sample size of 1260 is required. Depth interviews with plant supervisors, personnel directors, and EAP administrators as well as a random sample of workers will precede and affect the content of the final questionnaire.