96171 - Theories and Methods in Occupational Health Psychology

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will know the most important theoretical models and theories developed by the discipline to understand workers’ health and well-being in the contemporary workplace. Additionally, students will learn the main research methods (i.e., measurement and study designs) adopted in the field and develop fundamental skills for using such methods.

Course contents

Main contents of Module 1 are:

1. History of Occupational health psychology and the future of the discipline
2. Theories on occupational health psychology
3. Workers’ physical and psychological health
4. Work-related stress and recovery
5. Mistreatment and counter-productive behaviours at work
6. Work and non work role dynamics
7. Organizational safety climate
8. Interventions in Occupational health psychology

 

Main contents of Module 2 are:

• Research designs in Occupational Health Psychology

• Sampling methods in Occupational Health Psychology

• Quantitative data collection techniques

• Qualitative data collection techniques
• National and international OHP reference organizations and archive data

• Quantitative data analysis: Examples and practical applications in the specific context of Occupational Health Psychology

• Qualitative data analysis: Examples and practical applications in the specific context of Occupational Health Psychology – A basic approach
  

 

Readings/Bibliography

Module 1:

- Cunningham, C. J. L., Black, J.K. (2021). Essentials of Occupational Health Psychology. Routledge: NY.

- students will be grouped in teams; and each team will read and present one article, selected from a list of articles, on a specific argument in a specific class. The team will also lead the discussion on that topic.

 

Module 2:

Sinclair, R. R., Wang, M., & Tetrick, L. E. (Eds.). (2013). Research Methods in Occupational Health Psychology: Measurement, Design, and Data Analysis. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

This book is not to be purchased, but is accessible in electronic format through the university library system. The parts most of interest for the course and verification of learning will be suggested in class.

 

Other suggested readings for both Modules are:

Liu, Y., Mo, S., Song, Y., & Wang, M. (2016). Longitudinal analysis in occupational health psychology: A review and tutorial of three longitudinal modeling techniques. Applied Psychology, 65(2), 379-411.

Ott-Holland, C. J., Shepherd, W. J., & Ryan, A. M. (2019). Examining wellness programs over time: Predicting participation and workplace outcomes. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 24(1), 163–179.

Shann, C., Martin, A., Chester, A., & Ruddock, S. (2019). Effectiveness and application of an online leadership intervention to promote mental health and reduce depression-related stigma in organizations. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 24(1), 20–35

Spector, P. E., & Pindek, S. (2016). The future of research methods in work and occupational health psychology. Applied Psychology, 65(2), 412-431.

Teaching methods

In Module 1, the professor will present the core elements of each topic and then two teams, separately, will examine more in deep specific aspects of the topic and will lead a discussion with the class on that topic.

Module 2 will consist of a series of lectures given by the lecturer, which will be followed in each session by practical exercises to be done in class (or at home, for the next class) individually or in small groups.

The course will use the following teaching methods:

• Lectures
• Case study assignments
• Students’ oral presentation and group discussions

Students are recommended to bring and use their laptop when attending the Module 2 lectures.

Assessment methods

Learning will be assessed using the following assignments:

1. Student’s presentation and leading of group discussion during Module 1
2. Written examination, with open and closed questions, based on contents examined in Module 1 and Module 2
3. exercises in which students will be asked to apply the skills developed when studying Module 2 contents.

Teaching tools

The course will use one or more of the following teaching methods:

- lectures,

- audiovisual methods

- software for data analysis.

Office hours

See the website of Salvatore Zappalà

See the website of Ferdinando Toscano