TEAMORIENTED TRAINING FOR WORKPLACE SUBSTANCE USE AWARENESS: A SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST APPROACH

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TEAM-ORIENTED TRAINING FOR WORKPLACE SUBSTANCE
USE AWARENESSA SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST APPROACH

• Joel B. Bennett Wayne E. K. Lehman
• Institute of Behavioral Research - The Workplace
  Project
• Texas Christian University

Towards a Healthier Workplace Knowledge
Exchange Seminar and Training A CSAP
Workplace Managed Care Project December 13,
1999 San Francisco, California
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The Institute of Behavioral Research (IBR) at
Texas Christian University conducts evaluations
of drug abuse, addiction services, and workplace
prevention training. Special attention is given
to assessing and analyzing individual
functioning, treatment delivery and engagement
process, and their relationships to outcomes.
Treatment improvement protocols developed and
tested emphasize cognitive and behavioral
strategies for programs in community-based as
well as criminal justice settings. Our people,
projects, publications, and training programs are
described. Institute of Behavioral
Research Texas Christian University TCU Box
298740 Fort Worth, TX 76129 http//www.ibr.tcu.edu
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Overview

• 10 Years of Previous Survey Research (NIDA)
• Focus on Job Behavior, Work Climate,
• Attitudes Towards Policy EAP (N gt 3,000)
• Integrated Research Model (handout 1)
• Social Constructionist Approach
• Policy is constructed (not implemented)

SOCIAL CLIMATE drinking together ignoring
problems tolerating users stress

• Sample of Previous Data
• Focus on Group Cohesion (trust, teamwork)
• From Research to Prevention (handout 2)
• A Sample Activity
• Supervisors Cognitive Map of Policy
• Initial Results (Supervisors only)
• Compared Team Training with Informational and
  Control

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General Rationale

• Increased surveillance requirements
  (drug-testing) impacts work climate (policy,
  privacy, hiring practices)
• Employee substance abuse (SA) still a problem
  despite drug testing efforts www.samshsa.gov -
  9/8/99
• The nature of work is also changing (downsizing,
  team-based job re-engineering programs, stress)
• SA may occur in a work culture that enables it
• Research suggests a healthy workplace
  (teamwork, supportive coworkers, less alienation)
  buffers against substance abuse problems
• Peer encouragement has promise

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Assumption A particular organizations
substance use policy does not evolve or Have
Impact in a vacuum
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The Standard View of Policy
Individual Problematic Substance Use

• Policy
• Testing
• Education
• Discipline
• EAP

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Integrated Research Model Abstracts handout
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Individual Problematic Substance Use

• Policy
• Testing
• Education
• Discipline
• EAP

leads to
regulates
Workplace Environment
Group Processes
Perceptions Attitudes
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Example of Research Attitudes Towards Help-Seekin
g Coworkers The Role of Group
Cohesion (Municipal Samples) N 1100 N
900 N 350
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Employees may and often do know about various
problems before their supervisors
GROUP COHESION
How does the social climate of the group
influence responsiveness to problems in self and
others?
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SUPPORT FROM SUPERVISOR If you had an
alcohol/drug problem, would you feel free to
talk with your supervisor without fear of being
punished or fired?
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IGNORING THE PROBLEM If you have ever experienced
a co-worker usinghave you ignored? and would
fellow workers ignore?
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From Research Model to Prevention Training
How did we get from past research to designing a
prevention training?
Substance Abuse
Policy
Workplace Environment
Research Model
Group Processes
Perceptions Attitudes
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Group Processes surrounding Problems
Research Model
Substance Abuse
Policy
Individual Presents Problem
Workplace Environment
Group Processes
Perceptions Attitudes
(see Figure 1)
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Enabling and Neutralization
Group Processes surrounding Problems
Employees are Disconnected from Policy (not
meaningful)
Problem Presentation
Poor Communication
Enabling and Neutralization
Inadequate Coping
Problem Continuance
Tolerance Resignation
Withdrawal/ Antagonism
Climate Reinforcement
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Purpose Objectives of Prevention Training
Enabling and Neutralization
PURPOSE Enhance team communication for work
groups to help reduce any risks related to
substance use
Disconnected from Policy (not meaningful)
Poor Communication
Inadequate Coping
Tolerance Resignation
Withdrawal/ Antagonism
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TEAM Training Modular Overview
RELEVANCE (SELF ASSESSMENT)
POLICY GAME
TOLERANCE (SELF GROUP)
STRESS (COMMUNICATION)
FOCUS GROUPS
SUPERVISOR MODULE
NUDGING (COMMUNICATION)
HOMEWORK
DIALOGUE
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Sample Module used in training Cognitive mapping
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Supervisor Mapping Activity

• Node-link Mapping (Nowak Gowin Dansereau)
• Visually represent complex ideas
• Help reveal biases, assumptions, concerns
• Shown effective in group counseling/education
• Two-Stage Conversational Mapping
• Session 1 Confidential conversation about your
  view of policy (what factors lead you to
  ignore..)
• Flip-charted notes analyzed
• Session 2 Discussed a second time
• Final Map integration from sessions 1 and 2

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Map 2 - City 1
HR says We have a policy in place its your
fault you did not recognize problem
City says We are covered - now its up to you
how to apply it
We use call-in radio for drug-testing (anyone
can hear)
Confused Rely on peers to interpret policy
Rate is too slow Not really random Mostly
probation HR is not responsive
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Study Parameters(e.g., Does mapping have any
effect?)

• Random Assignment
• Supervisors from over 40 work groups (N 69)
• Assigned to 3 Groups
• Team Training (n 26)
• Informational (n 22)
• Control (n 21)
• Design (Pre-Post - survey - training - survey)
• Eight weeks from pre to post survey
• Measures Analyses
• Self-reported ratings of improvement
  (post-training)
• Pre-post comparisons

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Post-test Comparisons of Improvement Following
Training Period Self-reports of Supervisors
Much Worse
Much Improved
No Change
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Pre-Post Comparisons of Supervisor Likelihood
of Communicating to EAP About Troubled Employee
Very Likely
Very Unlikely
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Initial Conclusions

• Some support for engaging supervisors in dialogue
  about policy meaning
• Appears to be more openness to EAP
• More trust in confidentiality
• This supported by other findings where employees
  in team training showed improved climate of
  confidentiality