Objectives of this continuing epidemiologic study of a university employee cohort are: 1) to delineate longer-term consequences of sexual harassment (SH) and generalized workplace abuse (GWA) on deleterious alcohol-related outcomes, 2) to address recent societal transformations in attitudes and institutional responses to SH (using objective and self-report data), hypothesized changes in targets' abilities to actively cope with SH, and hypothesized decreased vulnerability to deleterious drinking outcomes, and 3) to examine the roles that health, mental health and legal service utilization play in protecting targets of SH and GWA from deleterious alcohol-related outcomes. Respondents (N=2,489) who participated in the current study will be resurveyed at waves 3, 4 and 5 (each one year apart). The mail questionnaires will address: SH and GWA experiences since wave 2 data collection, organizational tolerance of sexual harassment, other work stressors, direct active coping, avoidant coping, the elicitation of social supports, utilization of workplace offices dealing with harassment, use of health, mental health and legal professional services, focus of and satisfaction with service provision, symptomatic distress, alcohol use and abuse and the use of other substances, and the timing of SH/GWA experiences and increases in drinking. A variety of multivariate statistical techniques will be utilized to depict changes over time in SH/GWA experiences and their effect on drinking outcomes, and to depict the varied pathways through which harassment and abuse impact on deleterious drinking behaviors. In-depth interview will further elucidate respondents' experiences in directly coping with harassment and abuse and utilizing professional services. Major goals are 1) to contribute to the prevention of work-based harassment and abuse and, 2) to identify sources of help which promote effective coping in place of the self-medication of distress through alcohol use and abuse or the use of other substances.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AA009989-07
Application #
6371356
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-SNEM-1 (01))
Program Officer
Chiapella, Page
Project Start
1995-05-01
Project End
2005-04-30
Budget Start
2001-05-01
Budget End
2002-04-30
Support Year
7
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$561,009
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Illinois at Chicago
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
121911077
City
Chicago
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60612
McGinley, Meredith; Richman, Judith A; Rospenda, Kathleen M (2011) Duration of sexual harassment and generalized harassment in the workplace over ten years: effects on deleterious drinking outcomes. J Addict Dis 30:229-42
Richman, Judith A; Shannon, Candice A; Rospenda, Kathleen M et al. (2009) The relationship between terrorism and distress and drinking: two years after September 11, 2001. Subst Use Misuse 44:1665-80
Richman, Judith A; Cloninger, Lea; Rospenda, Kathleen M (2008) Macrolevel stressors, terrorism, and mental health outcomes: broadening the stress paradigm. Am J Public Health 98:323-9
Richman, Judith A; Zlatoper, Kenneth W; Zackula Ehmke, Jennifer L et al. (2006) Retirement and drinking outcomes: lingering effects of workplace stress? Addict Behav 31:767-76
Rospenda, Kathleen M; Richman, Judith A; Shannon, Candice A (2006) Patterns of workplace harassment, gender, and use of services: an update. J Occup Health Psychol 11:379-93
Freels, Sally A; Richman, Judith A; Rospenda, Kathleen M (2005) Gender differences in the causal direction between workplace harassment and drinking. Addict Behav 30:1454-8
Rospenda, Kathleen M; Richman, Judith A (2004) The factor structure of generalized workplace harassment. Violence Vict 19:221-38
Richman, Judith A; Wislar, Joseph S; Flaherty, Joseph A et al. (2004) Effects on alcohol use and anxiety of the September 11, 2001, attacks and chronic work stressors: a longitudinal cohort study. Am J Public Health 94:2010-5
Richman, Judith A; Rospenda, Kathleen M; Flaherty, Joseph A et al. (2004) Perceived organizational tolerance for workplace harassment and distress and drinking over time [harassment and mental health] Women Health 40:1-23
Richman, Judith A; Shinsako, Stephanie A; Rospenda, Kathleen M et al. (2002) Workplace harassment/abuse and alcohol-related outcomes: the mediating role of psychological distress. J Stud Alcohol 63:412-9

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