Research project is personal for Business Buckeye

Growing up, Sean Osborn often wondered what the future would hold for his younger brother with Down syndrome and autism spectrum disorder. As he approached high school, a budding interest in psychology led him to think more deeply about the issues his brother, and individuals like him, face.

That curiosity opened the door to the field of industrial-organizational psychology (I/O psychology) and an opportunity at Fisher that, Osborn hopes, will help guide the rest of his academic and professional careers.

Osborn, a fourth-year human resources student, recently participated in Ohio State’s Denman Undergraduate Research Forum, a prestigious research showcase highlighting projects from the brightest undergraduates at the university.

His study, “Job Satisfaction Among Workers with Intellectual Disabilities,” sought to answer whether employees with intellectual disabilities are more satisfied with their work, coworkers and supervision compared to the general population.

Osborn utilized data sourced from the Transition Options in Postsecondary Settings (TOPS) program, a workforce development certificate program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at Ohio State’s Nisonger Center.

“The TOPS program is tailored to each person,” Osborn said. “The program matches individuals with jobs they might like, coordinating their job skills with careers they are interested in. The students hold a variety of jobs including things like being a tour guide, gardener and medical equipment sterilizer.”

In addition to the personal connection with disabilities, Osborn’s research topic combined his interest in I/O psychology and a potential career in human resources, he said.

“Job satisfaction is one of the most widely studied constructs in industrial-organizational psychology, Osborn said. “It is positively correlated with a variety of business outcomes such as organizational commitment, organizational citizenship behavior and retention.”

He found, however, that there were few studies on this subject involving employees with intellectual disabilities ― and the studies that do exist used different methods, which hampers the ability to find comparisons.

Osborn’s project applied the Abridged Job in General Scale (aJIG), considered the best measure for research in this area, to study 19 participants in the TOPS program. It was the first study to apply the aJIG to individuals with intellectual disabilities in America in more than four decades, Osborn said.

After comparing the scales to data from the general population, Osborn found no significant difference in general job satisfaction between American workers with and without intellectual disabilities.

“What appeals to me about I/O psychology is looking at the dynamics of a group of people working together for a common goal,” he said. “I’m interested in understanding and helping people be their best in a group and to help give the group a guided purpose.”

His Denman presentation capped Osborn’s experience as part of Fisher’s Research Distinction program, a year-long honors offering that introduces undergraduates to academic research. Students who complete the program graduate with “honors research distinction” noted on their diplomas.

“This research project and the Denman Research Forum were the best way for me to assess if a PhD was truly the path I want to follow,” said Osborn, who is interested in pursuing a master’s degree and a PhD in I/O psychology.

“Having to explain my research, process and results at the Denman Forum provided me great practice for my undergraduate thesis defense as well as for my post-graduate degrees.”