AbstractsMedical & Health Science

Workers who spend most of their time in front of computers are at potential risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders and thus are in need of effective interventions to improve their posture. Self-monitoring is a widely used method for increasing occupational safety because of its applicability with workers who spend substantial time working alone. The purpose of this study was to assess self-monitoring with accuracy training to increase the correct sitting posture while working in front of the computer. Another objective was to evaluate whether the introduction of selfmonitoring would influence productivity. The participants were four college students from a California university. The main dependent variable was the percentage of observations in which participants’ body positions were scored as correct over a 9- minute session. As additional dependent variables, the accuracy of self-monitoring and productivity were measured. The study employed a multiple-baseline design across participants. The results of the study show that the correct sitting postures increased for all four participants but the productivity decreased for all four participants with the introduction of the intervention. The current study implicates the efficacy of self-monitoring in the area of occupational safety. The limitations and recommendations for further studies are discussed. Advisors/Committee Members: Potter, William (advisor).