Healthy and Unhealthy Stress Unwinding: Promoting Health in Small Businesses

Workers can relax and unwind from stress through positive behaviors (e.g. exercise, meditation, reading) or substances (alcohol, medication, drugs, or tobacco). This study explored unwinding and prevention training among small business workers (N = 539). Personal and workplace protective factors contributed to greater positive unwinding and less substance unwinding. Employees were randomly assigned to one of two prevention trainings (Team Awareness-SB or Choices in Health Promotion) or a control group. Regression analyses indicated both trainings improved positive unwinding (compared to controls) beyond the effects of protective factors. Positive unwinding is an important resource with potential relevance to small businesses. This research was supported by Grant 1 UD1 SP-09416 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. We would like to thank Darlene Beard, Erin Kelly, Renee Lovett, Beth Mivedor, Stephani Mullins, Maria Rojas, Richard Sledz, and Michael Shields for their help in conducting the study. We would also like to thank program partner, North Texas Small Business Development Center (DCCCD) Region Director (State), Elizabeth M. Klimback Technology Assistance SBDC (DFWP) Director, Mr. James E. Berish, MBA; 1402 Corinth Street, Dallas, TX 75215, +1-214-860-5709. A portion of this paper was presented at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology 2004 Annual Meeting.