Utilization of a Social Network Approach To Examine The School-To-Work Transition: Examination of High-Risk Work Environments

ABSTRACT Alcohol misuse and its consequences peaks during emerging adulthood (the period of life between the ages of 18 to 25). Concurrently, during this time, many individuals head into the workforce. While previous research has documented that there are certain occupations that are associated with alcohol misuse, little is known about how newcomers’ alcohol use changes when entering these occupations that are characterized as high-risk for alcohol misuse. Guided by the organizational socialization literature and social learning theory, the proposed project aims to provide a better understanding of the transition into these high-risk occupations for alcohol misuse and to examine how the social environment influences alcohol use. A national sample of emerging adults (N= 400) before they start at high-risk occupations for alcohol misuse will be recruited. The five high-risk work occupations for alcohol misuse are the following: 1) construction and extraction, 2) installation, maintenance, and repair, 3) food preparation and serving related, 4) transportation and material- moving, and 5) sales and related occupations. Participants will be followed over 2 years, in which they will complete 7 assessments and 5 one-week “bursts” of daily diary assessments. Participants will report on the characteristics of the work environment, including the amount of alcohol use among coworkers and managers at work, and their own alcohol use. Findings from this study will inform prevention and intervention efforts to reduce heavy drinking and alcohol-related consequences. High-risk work environments for alcohol use could provide training on alcohol use, which would be beneficial to the organization (e.g., by reducing absenteeism, turnover, etc.) and the individual (e.g., reducing alcohol-related consequences). Furthermore, most prevention efforts for young adults occur in college settings and ignore those who head directly into the workforce thus putting those that head directly into the workforce after high school at risk.