Internal versus External Employee Assistance Programs: What the Canadian Data Adds to the Debate

Abstract Since the emergence of external Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) in the 1970's to challenge the ensconced internal model, there has been an ongoing debate over which method of service delivery is superior. Numerous assumptions have arisen about the various strengths and limitations of the two models though the empirical support for these beliefs remains relatively limited. In this article, 36 Canadian EAP studies are used as the basis to assess the suppositions surrounding internal and external EAPs.