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.