The potential contribution of information technology to the mental III health, job dissatisfaction, and alcohol intake of money market dealers: An exploratory study

This study explored the potential contribution to the outcomes of mental ill health (specifically, free‐floating and somatic anxiety, and depression), job dissatisfaction, and alcohol intake, of the information technology systems used by dealers (i.e., traders in currency, gilts, swaps, bonds, etc.) working in the City of London. Some 225 dealers completed questionnaires providing data on the independent variables of job‐related stressors, stress‐coping methods, coronary‐prone (Type A) behavior, locus of control, personality, and demographic and biographic factors, and on the dependent variables of free‐floating and somatic anxiety, depression, job satisfaction, and alcohol consumption. The job‐related stressors included six items associated with the computer systems that are basic to the work of dealers. Factor analysis of the job‐related stressors produced a technology‐related factor. Multivariate analyses showed that this factor was a negative predictor only of free‐floating anxiety. It was concluded that the stress attributable to the information technology systems used by dealers appeared to have little effect upon the stress outcomes examined. Limitations of the study and proposals for future research were included.