Bryan E. Robinson

THE WORK ADDICTION RISK TEST: DEVELOPMENT OF A TENTATIVE MEASURE OF WORKAHOLISM

The development and analyses of the psychometric characteristics of a tentative self-report measure of work addiction are reported. A total of 363 college students completed a battery of tests including the Work Addiction Risk Test. Internal consistency of the scores was .88. Also, these scores were compared with those on the Type A Self-rating Scale and the Jenkins Activity Survey, which give self-reports of Type A behavior and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. That scores on the work addiction risk test were reliable and showed concurrent validity supported psychometric utility for research and clinical practice.

A Structural and Discriminant Analysis of the Work Addiction Risk Test

The Work Addiction Risk Test (WART) was designed to measure “workaholism.” The present study examines the underlying dimensions of the WART and investigated the accuracy of the WART scores to discriminate between workaholics and a control group. The results suggest that workaholism, as measured by the WART, includes five dimensions: (a) Compulsive Tendencies, (b) Control, (c) Impaired Communication/Self-Absorption, (d) Inability to Delegate, and (e) Self-Worth were developed from the factor analysis. A discriminant analysis that used the subscale scores as the independent variables and group membership (workaholic or control group) as the dependent variable indicated that the first three subscales provided the greatest distinction between the groups, with a 88.5% correct classification rate. A discriminant analysis that used the total WART score as the independent variable and group membership as the dependent variable had an 86.4% correct classification rate.

Work Stress and Marriage: A Theoretical Model Examining the Relationship Between Workaholism and Marital Cohesion

Using structural equation modeling the relationship of work stress and marital cohesion was empirically investigated. It was hypothesized that work stress would have an inverse relationship with marital cohesion. Participants were a random sample of 326 adult females who were members of the American Counseling Association. The results of the data-model fit analyses support the hypothesized relationship. The coefficient of determination for the structural equation was 0.60 indicating a substantial degree of explanation for the relationship tested. Implications of these findings for future research are presented.

Work Addiction as a Function of Family of Origin and Its Influence on Current Family Functioning

This study examined the relationship between work addiction, family-of-0oigin dysfunction, and current family functioning among a national sample of 107 self-identified work-addicted respondents. Results indicate what clinicians have observed for years: that work addiction can interfere with intimate and social relationships and may lead some work-addicted individuals to recreate dysfunctional families in adulthood similar to the ones in which they were reared. Although there was no significant relationship between work addiction and family-of-origin dysfunction, work-addicted respondents who had sought help for their work habits were more likely to have grown up in dysfunctionalfamilies in which intimacy was low and to have more problems with intimate relationships in adulthood, compared with those who had never received help for their work habits.

Adult Children of Workaholics: Self-Concept, Anxiety, Depression, and Locus of Control.

Abstract Adult children of workaholics were compared with adult children of nonworkaholics on self-concept, anxiety, depression, and locus of control. Results indicated greater depression and external locus of control among the offspring of workaholics. Children of workaholic fathers not only had greater depression and external locus of control but also scored higher on anxiety. No significant differences were found between children of workaholic mothers and children of nonworkaholic mothers on any of the variables. Self-concept was not related to parental workaholism in any of the comparisons.

Risk of addiction to work and family functioning.

A total of 107 self-identified workaholics from across the United States and Canada responded to a set of inventories assessing their scores on the Work Addiction Risk Test and the correlations with current family functioning. Individuals in the High-risk group, compared to those in the Low- and Medium-groups, were significantly more likely to perceive their current families as having less effective problem-solving ability, worse communication, less clearly established family roles, fewer affective responses, less affective involvement, and lower general family functioning.

Teenage pregnancy from the Father's perspective

Teenage pregnancy is examined from the perspective of a number of studies conducted with teenage fathers. Five commonly held myths about teenage fathers are contradicted by the research. Data on sexual knowledge and behavior, attitudes toward marriage and child rearing, psychological variables, and consequences of fatherhood are presented and implications for mental health practitioners are discussed.

Concurrent Validity of the Beck Depression Inventory as a Measure of Depression

The Beck Depression Inventory was administered, along with measures of anxiety, locus of control, and self-concept, to 211 undergraduates at a major southern institution to test for concurrent validity. Correlations of scores on Becks scale with other scores provide additional support for Becks scale as a valid measure of depression.

Depression and Parentification among Adults as Related to Parental Workaholism and Alcoholism

Investigators examined relationships among levels of depression and parentification in undergraduate university students. Instrument scores were used to identify participants as (a) adult children with alcoholic parents, (b) adult children with workaholic parents, (c) adult children with at least one parent who was both alcoholic and workaholic, and (d) a comparison group composed of adult children who met none of the other group criteria. Children of workaholics scored significantly higher on measures of depression and parentification, and they reported parents worked more hours than did parents of children of alcoholics and the comparison group. Children of alcoholics scored significantly higher than the comparison group on the measure of parentification. Children with parents who met both descriptions scored significantly higher than children of alcoholics and the comparison group on the three dimensions described and on combined number of hours both parents worked.

The workaholic family: A clinical perspective

Abstract This article describes the family dynamics of the workaholic family, based on emerging research and the families the author has seen in treatment. A case study is presented as an illustration, followed by structural and dynamic characteristics of the workaholic family and treatment recommendations. It is suggested that family members also are negatively affected by workaholism and may develop a set of mental health problems of their own.