Exploring the Impact of Situational Background, Emotional, and Job Search Variables on Coping With Unemployment by Drinking Versus Considering Self-Employment

Abstract

A diverse sample of unemployed respondents completed an online survey investigating the impact of situational background, emotional and job search-related variables, and beyond controlled-for variables on two new coping with unemployment outcomes, coping by drinking, or coping by considering self-employment. The authors were able to reliably measure both types of coping outcomes. For coping by drinking the authors found that having a higher base salary when laid off, greater denial of job loss, lower positive self-assessment, and lower job search confidence led to higher coping by drinking. For coping by becoming self-employed the authors found that being unemployed longer, having a higher base salary when laid off, greater financial strain, and higher job search confidence led to higher coping by considering self-employment. These results have implications for Employee Assistance Programs.

KEYWORDS:

• coping with unemployment
• Employee Assistance Programs
• unemployment

Notes

Note. N = 438.

Note. N = 384. UE = unemployment; NA = not applicable. Unless otherwise indicated in the footnote below, all scales measured on a 7-point response scale, 1 (strongly disagree), 2 (disagree), 3 (somewhat disagree), 4 (neither disagree nor agree), 5 (somewhat agree), 6 (agree), 7 (strongly agree).

r > .10, p < .05; r > .13, p < .01 (both two-tailed).

^a Age, 1 = younger than 20, 2 = 20–29, 3 = 30–39, 4 = 40–50, 5 = 51–60, 6 = 61–65, and 7 = older than 65.

^b Number of dependents supporting, 1 = 0, 2 = 1, 3 = 2, 4 = 3, 5 = 4, 6 = 5, and 7 = 6 or more.

^c Length of time unemployed, 1 = fewer than 3 months, 2 = 3–o 6 months, 3 = 7–9 months, 4 = 10–12 months, 5 = 13–15 months, 6 = 16–18 months, 7 = 19–21 months, 8 = 22–24 months, and 9 = more than 24 months.

^d Base salary when laid off, 1 = under $50,000, 2 = $50,001–$75,000, 3 = $75,001–$100,000, 4 = $100,001–$150,000, 5 = $150,001–$200,000, 6 = $200,001–$250,000, and 7 = over $250,000.

^e Coefficient alpha (in parenthesis).

Note. N = 367. SE = standard error. Regression coefficients b are unstandardized regression weights.

^a Gender, 1 = male, 2 = female.

^b Race, 1 = non-White, 2 = White.

^c Marital status, 1 = married, 2 = not married.

⁺ p < .10. *p < .05. **p < .01.