An evaluation of peer and professional trainers in a union-based occupational health and safety training program.

Abstract

Social Cognitive Theory posits that behavior can be changed by observing others perform or describing performance of certain behaviors. This theoretical framework was applied to understanding causes of health behavior change associated with a workplace health and safety training program. Hypotheses were: (1) Workers trained by their peers would exhibit greater increases in self efficacy than workers trained by another type of trainer, (2) Workers trained by professionals would exhibit greater increases in outcome efficacy than workers trained by another type of trainer, and (3) Workers trained by their peers would exhibit greater behavioral change than workers trained by another type of trainer. A questionnaire developed to address these hypotheses was administered to 426 workers at a UAW health and safety training program. Study participants received training from one of three trainer types: (1) Local Union Discussion Leaders (LUDLs), (2) Professional Staff Trainers, (3) LUDLs with Professional Staff Trainers. Data were collected in three phases: immediately before training, immediately after training, and three months post training (mail survey). This study found that UAW workers trained by LUDLs identified most closely with their instructors and had greater changes in self efficacy than subjects trained by other trainers. Overall, trainer type had the greatest effect upon workers' self efficacies immediately following training. With respect to outcome efficacy evidence indicated that workers trained by Staff trainers identified least closely with them (but saw them as more knowledgeable) and had greater outcome efficacy scores than workers trained by other trainers. Finally, with respect to behavior, workers trained by LUDLs reported changing behavior as a result of training more often than workers trained by other trainers. This study was limited by sample size and certain restrictions placed upon data collection; however, the high response rate to the mail survey (71%), and collection of data at three points in time counterbalanced these limitations.