WORK STRESS AND PROBLEM ALCOHOL BEHAVIOR - A TEST OF THE SPILLOVER MODEL

Although previous research has found weak support for the model of str essful work 'spilling over' to negative coping responses during nonwor k hours, we argue that a variety of conceptual and methodological prob lems may partially explain the weak and inconsistent findings. Two imp ortant shortcomings are inadequately specified models and a failure to consider nonescapist responses to job-related stress. We therefore pr opose that there may be escapist (i.e. increased drinking, working thr ough job dissatisfaction for those who believe that alcohol consumptio n is an effective means to reduce stress) and nonescapist (i.e. decrea sed drinking for those who are dissatisfied with their jobs but do not believe alcohol is an effective coping strategy) responses to work st ress. These hypotheses were tested on a sample of 972 production worke rs in the Pacific northwest. Results show moderate support for the exi stence of both escapist and nonescapist responses to job-related stres ses. (C) 1998 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.