Abstinent alcoholics' adjustment to work.

Abstract

SUMMARY. Abstinent alcoholics were more satisfied with their jobs, were closer to career goals and earned higher salaries 6.5 years after treatment than at 3.5 years after treatment. At 6.5 years, alcoholics perceived that they had more power on the job than they had had at 3.5 years, but less power than nonalcoholics had perceived that they had at 3.5 years. As Archer (1) has stated, little is known of the factors that may distinguish workers who have drinking problems from those who do not. Such information is needed in view of the high incidence of alcoholism in the work force and the extensive efforts being made to alleviate the problem. The present report describes results of a follow-up study of a group of abstinent alcoholics at an average of 6.5 years after treatment, and compares these findings with data obtained (2, 3) at 3.5 years after treatment. At the 3.5-year follow-up, when the work histories, personality characteristics and attitudes of 75 abstinent alcoholics and 75 nonalcoholics were compared, alcoholics were significantly less well-matched in interests and