Michel Larivière

DR. MICHEL LARIVIERE is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor in Human Kinetics at Laurentian University (Sudbury, Ontario).  He is a professor in Clinical Education at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and supervises graduate students in 3 programs including the Ph.D. in Northern and Rural Health.  He has served as Vice-Dean in the Faculty of Professional Schools and is now the Associate Director at the Center for Research in Occupational Safety and Health (CROSH).

Dr. Larivière has led large-scale studies on the predictors of occupational mental health and adjustment, including a national study of correctional and human service workers- a first of its kind in Canada.  He has performed national surveys on worker well-being as well as the determinants of mental health and high risk health behaviours.  His research has included work on highly resistant and at-risk populations, which has collaboratively attracted close to $2 million in funding over the last several years.

Dr. Larivière is a member of the College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO) and the Health Representative on the Canadian National Committee for the International Union of Psychological Science (National Research Council of Canada- NRC).  Dr. Larivière has consulted to the Correctional Service of Canada, Youth Justice Services, the Workers Safety and Insurance Board, and the Children’s Aid Society among others.  He has provided expert testimony in a variety of legal proceedings.  As a practicing psychologist in Northern Ontario, he works collaboratively on interdisciplinary teams, providing services in French and English- often in more rural and remote areas.

• B.P.H.E. Cum Laude. 1986-1990 Laurentian University
• M.A. (DEVE). 1990-1992 Laurentian University
• Ph.D. Experimental Psychology. 1995-2001 Carleton University
• Post-Doctorate. Clinical Psychology. 2001-2005. University of Ottawa

Dr. Michel Larivière is a practicing clinical psychologist whose current research is focused on mental health in the workplace. In particular, he is interested in identifying the factors that predict injury and absenteeism. Drawing from his work in risk prediction, he intends to develop actuarial-type instruments to assist workplace decision-makers on matters of employee injury and illness. Because of their significant human and economic costs, the factors that predict a timely return to work after an illness or injury are also currently being studied by Dr. Larivière.

Several large-scale studies on various occupational groups (e.g. health care workers, correctional workers, administrators, tradespersons/labourers, etc.) have been completed and published by Dr. Larivière and a number of collaborators. A unique contribution of this work is the finding that worker attitudes are strong predictors of a workers' overall adjustment. Attitudinal variables contribute significantly to job stress, job satisfaction and the commitment to one's employer. These are in turn related to overall health and putatively, to injury, workplace adjustment, performance, absenteeism, presenteeism, and civility.