The Application of the Theory Coding Scheme to Interventions in Occupational Health Psychology.

OBJECTIVE: There is a need to understand how and to what extent theory is used to inform occupational health psychology (OHP) interventions. This study examines the utility of Michie and Prestwich1 theory coding scheme (TCS) to examine the theoretical base of OHP interventions. METHODS: We applied the TCS to a systematically derived sample of 27 papers that reported evaluation data for work-related interventions seeking to improve employee sleep quantity or quality. RESULTS: Results indicated that the original TCS was largely applicable to OHP sleep interventions. After several minor modifications to its evaluative criteria, the TCS successfully accommodates a range of OHP intervention designs. CONCLUSIONS: The revised TCS for OHP interventions allows for a more detailed understanding of the role and use of theory in OHP interventions and may prove to be a valuable tool for OHP researchers and practitioners.

Stigma & dirty work: In-group and out-group perceptions of essential service workers during COVID-19.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on essential service workers has given rise to their newfound "hero" status, resulting in a dramatic shift of their occupational value. Service work has been long envisioned as "dirty work", and further, stigmatized by members of society (the Out-Group), until recently. This study utilized occupational stigma theory to identify the mechanisms under which both essential service workers and society at large came to unify around the importance of perceived dirty work in the United States. Critical discourse analysis was employed as a qualitative methodology, particularly examining the In- and Out-Group's coping mechanisms for coming to terms with the value of "dirty" service work heroes. Theoretical implications include the utilization of stigma theory for Out-Groups, and revealed a previously undetected Out-Group coping tactic. Practical implications include the urgency for keeping the "hero" story alive so that all service workers benefit from the movement.