Exploring the utility of general strain theory in explaining problematic alcohol consumption by police officers
✍ Scribed by Marc L. Swatt; Chris L. Gibson; Nicole Leeper Piquero
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 2007
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 293 KB
- Volume
- 35
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0047-2352
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Research has shown a link between police officer stress and negative coping strategies, particularly problematic alcohol consumption. Unfortunately, most research on this topic has not been theoretically informed. Agnew's general strain theory (GST) offers a potential theoretical explanation for this relationship. Furthermore, few studies of GST had been conducted on samples other than school-aged adolescents or college students. The purpose of this study was two-fold. First, the authors examined whether GST could explain drinking prevalence and problematic alcohol consumption among police officers. Second, the generalizability of GST to a sample of police officers was examined. Using data collected from a large sample of Baltimore, Maryland police officers, support for GST was found. Consistent with theoretical expectations, multivariate logit and ordinal logit regression models showed that the relationship between work-related strain and drinking prevalence and problematic alcohol consumption was mediated through anxiety/depression. Ideas for future research are discussed.