I-O Psychology Doctoral Program

What is Occupational Health Psychology?

• Occupational health psychology (OHP) is defined as the application of psychological principles to improve employee health and safety and enhance well-being (Sauter & Hurrell, 1999). This field is multi-disciplinary and draws heavily from the fields of public health, ergonomics, occupational medicine and industrial hygiene.
  
• Training in OHP began in the early 1990’s, with grants from the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). BGSU was among the first schools to be awarded an OHP grant, and OHP training at BGSU began in 1998.
  
• Some examples of OHP-related topics include, but are not limited to, the following: assessment and treatment of work-related stress; promotion of and adherence to safety programs; psychological assessment of workplace hazards; employee physical health; emotional labor.
  
• For more information, check out the publications listed below, and also see the Research pages.

Why Study Occupational Health Psychology At BG?

Given the hours that most adults and adolescents spend in the workplace, a major public health concern is the relationship between work-related factors and both physical and emotional health. To remain competitive in the applied and academic worlds, graduates of doctoral Psychology programs can benefit immensely from training in the discipline of Occupational Health Psychology (OHP).

BGSU offers several graduate level courses in OHP related topics, including an OHP seminar, Occupational Stress, Work-Family Conflict, Counterproductive Work Behavior, Social Environments of Work, and Health Psychology. In addition, students have the opportunity to get involved with applied projects such as occupational safety assessment and health and wellness programs. BGSU also has an active OHP research group (see below) that provides a great opportunity for students interested in the field of OHP, be it academic or applied.

Occupational Health Psychology Research Group

One of the most beneficial aspects of Bowling Green State University’s Industrial-Organizational Psychology program is its research groups, including the OHP Research Group. The main purpose of the OHP research group is to allow students to become more familiar with and get involved in OHP related research. Meetings, held every few weeks, involve the discussion of new projects, updates on ongoing projects, and requests for collaborators. We also typically review and discuss current OHP related articles and a group member will present their own research ideas or findings. Graduate students from other disciplines and undergraduate students are encouraged to get involved with projects. Current projects focus on employee stress, work-family conflict, safety, incivility, and the psychometric evaluation of stress. Future projects aim to explore areas such as wellness program effectiveness and unique stressors experienced by first responders. For information regarding projects, feel free to contact the student director of the group, Ashlie Britton (arbritt@bgsu.edu). 

The OHP Research Group offers continuing education to keep students and faculty up-to-date with current issues. Trips to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, guest speakers, and research presentations offer unique perspectives to enhance and direct research. Students also have the opportunity to apply for NIOSH funded research grants through the University of Cincinnati's Education and Research Center Pilot Research Project.  Research from graduate students has been presented at the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology annual conference, Academy of Management annual conference, Work, Stress, & Health bi-annual conference, as well as at the Bi-Annual Symposium of the National Occupational Research Agenda. 

For further information, contact Dr. Steve Jex (sjex@bgsu.edu) or Dr. Russell Matthews (ramatth@bgsu.edu)

OHP-Related Grants

Alexander, K., Mazolla, J., Moore, T., & Jex, S. (2009). Education and Research Center Pilot Project Grant – University of Cincinnati. Daily Workplace Barriers and Facilitators to Proper Nutrition and Exercise. Funded. (Direct costs: $3497)

Park, Y., Pui, S-Y., & Jex, S. M. (2010, October). Cyber and face-to-face incivility and employee well-being: A daily investigation. University of Cincinnati Occupational Health and Safety Education and Research Center Pilot Research Project Program funded by NIOSH. (Direct costs: $6,978).

Park, Y., Gopalkrishnan, P., Yugo, J., & Jex, S. M. (2009). Workplace incivility as a threat to safety behaviors among nurses. Education and Research Center Pilot Research Project Program funded by NIOSH. (Direct costs: $6981).

Pui, S.Y., Sliter, M.T., Wolford, K.A., Jex, S., & McInnerney, J. (2009).  The effect of multiple sources of hostility on mental well-being, burnout, and performance.  NIOSH Education and Research Center Pilot Project Grant. (Direct costs: $7000).

Smith, E.N., McInroe, J., Adelman, M., Fritz, C., & Kain, J.M. (2007). The impact of coping and gender role identification on the work-family interface.  NIOSH  Education and Research Center Pilot Project Grant.  (Direct costs: $5000).

 Yugo, J.E., & J. McInroe, S. Lindinger-Stern, & C. Fritz (2006). Understanding teaching: Determining age-related differences in stressors and resources.

Recent Research Publications and Presentations

Britton, A. R., Sliter, M. T., Jex, S. M., & Grubb, P. A. (2011).  Half-full means half-empty: The reverse-buffering effects of optimism for undermining behavior at work.  Poster session presented at the annual Work Stress and Health Conference, Orlando, FL.

Fritz, C., Park, Y., Gopalkrishnan, P., & Alexander, K. N. (November, 2009). Vigor and Employee Health: Results from a Longitudinal Study. Symposium at the 8th International Conference on Occupational Stress and Health, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Grubb, P., Roberts, R., Jex, S., & Sliter, M. T. (May, 2011). Examining the relationship between the social environment of work and workplace mistreatment. Poster to be presented at the 9th annual Work, Stress, and Health Conference, Orlando, FL.

Grubb, P., Jex, S., & Sliter, M. T. (October, 2010). The role of organizational climate in employee mistreatment: Testing a mediational model. Poster accepted to the 7th International Conference on Bullying and Harrassment, Cardiff, England.

Grubb, P., Roberts, R., Jex, S., & Sliter, M. T. (August, 2010). Work climate and workplace mistreatment. Symposium presented at NIOSH Intramural Science Conference, Salt Fork, OH.

Jex, S. M., & Kain, J. M. (2009, October). Negative Affectivity as a Moderator of the Effects of Workplace Incivility. Poster to be presented at the 52nd annual Midwest Academy of Management Conference. Chicago, IL.

Kain, J. M., & Jex, S. M. (2009, April). The relationship between incivility and affect: Entitlement as a moderator.  Poster to be presented at the 24th Annual conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). New Orleans, LA.

Park, Y., & Jex, S. M. (In press). Work and home boundary management using communication and information technology. International Journal of Stress Management.

Park, Y., Fritz, C., & Jex, S. M. (in press). Relationships between work-home segmentation and psychological detachment from work: The role of communication technology use at home. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.

Park, Y., Pui, S-Y., & Jex, S. M. (2010, October). Cyber and face-to-face incivility and employee well-being: A daily investigation. Poster presented at the 11th Annual Pilot Research Project Symposium (PRP), Cincinatti, OH.

Park, Y., Fritz, C., & Jex, S.M. (2011, April). Correlates of psychological detachment during off-job time: Perceived segmentation norm as a moderator. Poster to be presented at the 26th annual meeting of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Chicago, IL.

Park, Y. & Jex, S. M. (2010, April). Perceived job mobility benefits on life satisfaction of age-discriminated workers. Poster presented at the 25th annual meeting of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Atlanta, GA.

Park, Y. & Jex, S. M. (2010, April). Work and non-work boundary management using communication and information technology. Poster presented at the 25th annual meeting of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Atlanta, GA.

Park, Y., Gopalkrishnan, P., Yugo, J., & Jex, S. M.(October, 2009). Workplace Incivility as a Threat to Safety Behaviors among Nurses.  Poster presented at the 10th Annual Pilot Research Project Symposium (PRP), Cincinatti, OH.

Pui, S-Y., Sliter, M. T., Wolford, K. A., Jex, S., & McInnerney, J. (2009). The effect of multiple sources of hostility on mental well-being, burnout, and performance.  Poster presented at the 10th Annual Pilot Research Project Symposium (PRP), Cincinatti, OH. 

Salter, N., Sliter, M. T., & Withrow, S. A. (May, 2011). Comparing emotional labor across service and professional jobs. Poster to be presented at the 9th annual Work, Stress, and Health Conference, Orlando, FL.

Sliter, M. T., Withrow, S. A., & Jex, S.(2011, April). Positive workplace interactions scale: Examining a model of emotional labor. Poster to be presented at the 26th annual conference of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Chicago, IL.

Sliter, M. T., Wolford, K. A., & Jex, S. M.(May, 2011). Dealing with drunks: Do inebriated customers care about service with a smile? Poster to be presented at the 9th annual Work, Stress, and Health Conference, Orlando, FL.

Sliter, M. T., Wolford, K. A., Pui, S. Y., & Jex, S. M. (May, 2011). A brief empirical test of the spiral of incivility. Poster to be presented at the 9th annual Work, Stress, and Health Conference, Orlando, FL.

Sliter, M.T., Jex, S., Wolford, K.A., & McInnerney, J. (2010). The relationship between customer incivility and stress, burnout and performance: Emotional labor as a moderator. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.

Sliter, M. T., Wolford, K. A., & Jex, S. (2009). The employee as a punching bag: The effect of multiple sources of incivility on withdrawal.  Poster presented at the 8th annual Work, Stress, and Health 2009 conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Sliter, M.T., Jex, S., Wolford, K. A., & McInnerney, J. (2009). The moderating effect of emotional labor on customer incivility. Interactive poster presented at the 24th annual conference of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology, New Orleans, LA.

Whorton, R. P., & Withrow, S. A.(2011). Counterproductive work behavior as a reaction to interpersonal injustice: An experimental study. Poster to be presented at the 9th annual Work, Stress, and Health Conference, Orlando, FL.

Wolford, K. A., Sliter, M. T., & Jex, S. M.(May, 2011). Personal and organizational correlates of employee obesity: An examination of gender and exercise as moderators. Poster to be presented at the 9th annual Work, Stress, and Health Conference, Orlando, FL.

Wolford, K.A., Sliter, M.T., & Jex, S.(2011, April). Incivility and weight: An examination of the relationship and moderators. In Rodriguez, J.M, & Miner-Rubino, K. (Co-chairs), The whos and whys of workplace mistreatment. Symposium to be presented at the 26th annual conference of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Chicago, IL.